Hate and Love
by april93
Summary: When Edward fails a biology test, Bella is bribed into tutoring him for letters of recommendation,Edward needs to pass to stay on the football team. Will they manage to overcome their difficulties and manage to work together? On permanant hiatus: 2/12/11
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. The idea from this story came to me one night while I was in bed and the idea just flowed. This chapter practically wrote itself! I will probably update by tomorrow or Monday.**

**Playlist: I normally just listen to my Creative Zen on random while I write but I▓m going to put a couple of tracks up with each chapter anyway. Let me know what you think of the songs!**

**1. It's all coming back to me - Meatloaf **

**2. Breakeven - The Script **

**3. Broken Strings - James Morrison **

**4. I Caught Myself - Paramore **

**5. Low - Kelly Clarkson **

**6. Kiwi - Maroon 5 **

**7. Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner**

I was sitting in the library at Forks High School, on my own, as usual. This was where I came every lunch time. I hated large crowds of people stuck in one area. It freaked me out. I hated that cramped, no way out feeling. The noise also got a bit much too all these people babbling about spitting out useless information at everyone and everything. Hence, the library. In the library, it was always silent. There was no hustle and bustle just the odd shuffling of chairs as someone would get up to retrieve a book from one of the tall dusty shelves. There was no crowds just a couple of people finishing of their homework or reading. The small stocky librarian Mrs. Capley ruled over the library, her domain, with an iron fist, but if you kept yourself to yourself and obeyed the library's strict silence rule you were okay.

A chair scraped beside me and I glanced up from between the curtain of my hair to see who it was. Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen was Fork's High School's King. Not only was he good looking but he was Captain of the football team. His hair was a warm copper colour and his eyes were a sparkling green. But, he was an ass hole. His looks may have been extraordinary but he knew it. He knew all the girls fell at his feet. He never did his homework because he knew someone would lend him theirs for him to copy so as to stay on his good side. He had a girlfriend, Tanya Denali. Tanya was the captain of the cheerleading squad, so the pair of them were a match made in high school heaven. Her hair was a warm strawberry blonde colour and her eyes a deep blue. She was the girl all the other girls wanted to be and the boys wanted to be with. You wouldn't catch her sitting in the library at lunch time, she'd be at the large table in the middle of the cafeteria, surrounded by an elite few, her arm wrapped possessively around Edwards waist.

Ignoring Edward Cullen, I bent my head back over my book and continued to read as he pulled out a biology book out onto the desk. Cullen let out an exasperated sigh and tugged at his hair. I pretended not to notice the distraction. Thirty seconds later he sighed again and groaned. A minute and a half later, sigh ... groan. Clicking the back of his pen off the wooden desk he flicked the pages of his book roughly. Do you mind?" I whispered impatiently. The continuous tapping of the pen was giving me a headache.  
"What's it to you! I can do what I like, you don't make the rules." he replied angrily, his voice raising His voice slightly, before continuing with the incessant noise. Well, fine, I thought. If he won't stop then I might as well just move. Just as I pushed back my seat to move, Mrs. Capley came over.

"Mr. Cullen please stop making that noise, your distracting the other students from their work." she said snootily, her hands folded across her rather broad chest.

"And what if I don't?" he replied a condescending smirk on his god like face.

"Then you'll have no choice but to leave, Mr. Cullen!" said Mrs. Capley, her neck turning red, showing her anger.

"Fine! I will then!" Cullen shouted back, he snapped his book closed with a loud clap and stormed out. Mrs. Capley went back to her desk, silently muttering profanities as she slowly made her way back to her desk by the door. I stared blankly at the well worn pages of the book in front of me, what had Edward Cullen been doing in the library, I didn't even know he knew where it was located! He had arrived, been here about five minutes and was thrown out. Surely he must realise that his behaviour and the way he treated other people was unacceptable or was it that he just didn't care?

***  
I walked to my usual chair in biology. We didn't actually have set seats but everyone tended to sit in the same seats anyway, choosing to sit with friends. I sit on my own right at the back of the class room in the corner. This way people didn't tend to notice me as much, you know what they say, out of sight, out of mind.  
I dropped my bag by the corner of my desk and pulled out my biology book. I flicked to our current chapter and began to read over it. There was something distinctly comfortable about revising something you already know. It's like talking to someone you know very well You know everything about them already so nothing they say to you will be surprising, some people may find it boring but I thought it was relaxing.

The final bell rang and a last few stragglers arrived into the class, Edward Cullen and Alice Cullen among them, talking intently. Alice wasn't Edward's biological sister. They had both been adopted by Dr. Cullen and his wife when they were younger along with their older siblings who were seniors, Emmet Cullen and Jasper and Rosalie Hale, who were twins. Alice was short and pixie like with short jet black hair. Her and Jasper were going out, Though Jasper was tall and well built with scruffy blonde hair. Emmet and Rosalie were also together. Emmet was extremely tall and muscular. Rosalie was incredibly beautiful and had long blonde hair.

Edward and I had been in the same class since middle school and when I had first heard him and all his siblings were adopted I made an effort to be friends with him. I lived with my father but rarely saw my mother Renee who travelled a lot with her husband Phil who played baseball, so I didn't really know what it was like to lose a parent but that wouldn't stop me trying to be nice to him, I'd thought. But when I'd gone over and introduced myself to him with a friendly smile, he'd looked at me like something unpleasant you'd find at the bottom of your shoe. I tried to make a few more efforts to strike up a conversation with him, but after about two minutes worth of small talk he had gotten up from the desk where he was sitting and walked away from me without so much as a word. From then on I'd never bothered to try and talk to him again. I didn't ever really get to know his other siblings, Alice was never in my class and she seemed too confident and happy go lucky to actually speak. I expect she's just as snotty as Edward is though.

Edward and Alice sat down at a table near the door and continued to talk, unconsciously I found myself watching them. Edward's eyebrows were furrowed as Alice spoke, her mouth moving surprisingly fast. She looked like she was scolding him about something. Nodding his head at whatever it was that she was saying, he looked around the classroom. Our gazes me for a minute, just long enough for him to shoot me a poisonous look and for my cheeks to turn blood red.

Mr. Banner walked in and a pile of paper onto his neat desk. A saw a visible shudder pass through the class. We'd had a big biology test the week before on all the material we had covered since starting biology last year and yesterday Mr. Banner had informed us that the papers he had corrected so far left much to be desired for.

"Quieten down please class!" he said raising his voice so he could be heard over the hum of conversation in the room. Sentences trailed off as people ended their conversations. Only Edward and Alice Cullen continued as Mr. Banner proceeded to call the registration. "The results in the test were appalling by most, with few exceptions" said Mr. Banner looking around the class while shaking his head, "I gave plenty of notice for this test, you were informed about it last month! Jessica, D!" he said slamming her test down in front of her. "Unacceptable, Mike, a C, passable, Alice a C as well, I expected , better!" He said, his lips pressed tight together. "Bella," he said looking at me, a simpering smile on his face, "Well done, the only A in the class. The rest of you could learn something from Bella here" My cheeks flushed and I stared down at my desk while extending him my hand to return my paper. I felt the rest of the class grumble. I couldn't exactly blame them. This was a regular occurrence, teachers using me as an example to the rest of their students as to what should be done. I didn't really mind any more, but still, it would've been nice if someone besides my teacher was to congratulate me every once in a while. I was happy with my A though. I needed to keep my grades high because I wanted to get an academic scholarship to Dartmouth. There wasn't enough money to send me to college, with Phil being a minor league baseball player and Charlie the Chief of Police. Charlie had the mortgage still to pay off on our house as well as a couple of loans from over the years. Him and RenИ had gotten married when they were quite young so they hadn't a lot of money at the time so they took out a considerable amount in loans to get them started and then I came along causing even more difficulty.  
"Edward, this is not good enough!" I was snapped out of my reverie by Mr. Banner's voice assaulting Cullen, "An F, did you try purposely to get that grade? The test wasn't that hard. Even if you hadn't studied, which I take it you did not, I would have hoped you retained some information from class!" Mr. Banner continued to hand out the rest of the papers, occasionally stopping to comment to someone about their mark.  
test on the same material and the entire class will be redoing the test next Wednesday. Anyone who gets anything less then a C, will fail this term, got it?" Heads nodded throughout the room. "Now, onto the respiration system." Mr. Banner turned his back to the class and begin to write a heading up on the board.  
"Shut up Alice! I know that already!" Every head in the room, including Mr. Banner's turned towards the desk at which the two Cullens were seated. Looking up from between the curtain of hair that surrounded me from the rest of my classmates, I saw that Edward Cullen was glaring intently at Alice while she was looking up at him, her face indignant.  
"Mr. Cullen! Is there something you want to share with the class?" queried Mr. Banner, using that sarcastic tone teachers tended to use when they asked students this question.

"No sir, there isn't" Edward replied grudgingly his eyes focused down onto his book. Mr. Banner, apparently satisfied with this answer turned back to the and started to write up the main points of this section.

Class progressed with the slow pace it usually did. The only abnormality was that everyone was concentrating today because they were hoping that some small amount of the information would sink in and hopefully benefit them in the exam. The bell rang and people began to pack their things quickly, seeing as it was last class of the day people were filled anew with energy and charged out the door.

"Bella a word, you to Edward. "Requested Mr. Banner as he wiped the board clean with a cloth. What could he want with us? Please say he wasn't going to use me as and example again. Resting against his desk Mr. Banner began to speak,■ I▓ve been thinking, Bella, you wish to go on scholarship to Dartmouth next year, yes?" I nodded my head as continued, not really getting where this was going. "Edward you are on the football team, now you will be thrown off the team if you don't receive adequate grades, is that correct?" I glanced over at him, his face had just about drained of all it's colour. "Bella, being a junior I know it's a while yet before you really need to be thinking about this but a presume a bright girl like you all ready has, I know you'll be needing letters of recommendation from various people and it would be my pleasure to write one for you, but I have a small favour to ask you first." For the first time I saw where this was going a glanced towards Cullen he had a look of pure disgust on his face. "Would you be interested in tutoring Edward in his biology for the make-up test." Reaching out he stroked my arm. "You'd be doing me a personal favour. I looked down at my arm. He was definitely crossing the usual teacher student boundaries by doing that.  
"I don't need anyone to tutor me, I can learn stuff for myself." I used this distraction to discreetly pull my arm away from Mr. Banner's grasp and back to my side. "And I sure as hell don't need to learn anything from a social reject with no friends or personality!" I looked down at my feet and scuffed one of my shoes against the ground, I knew what he was saying about having no friends was true, but I didn't need that fact pointed out to me. As for having no personality, how could he even know whether that was true or not, he didn't even know me. Today was the first time he'd spoken to me all year, and we were in a lot of the same classes.

"Mr. Cullen, you will be tutored by Ms. Swan till the test and if I see some marked improvement then she will continue to do so for the rest of the year!" My head snapped up. He could have asked me if that was okay with me. No, I thought, he knows how much I need that letter of recommendation. "And if I don't?" Edward said with a sneer.  
"Then no more football!" said Mr. Banner as he smiled triumphantly at Edward. He knew he had him where it hurts. "Fine then!" said Edward as he stormed out of the room. "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come around to the idea. How could he not like you, you're such a sweet little girl." I tried to hide a shudder as I grabbed my bag up from the floor and walked hurriedly out of the room. As I walked out of the classroom I thought about the way Mr. Banner had just acted towards me. It had definitely been strange. Normally he was extremely friendly but I'd presumed it was just because I was of the few students in the biology class who stayed quiet and just did my work.

I tossed my bag into the passenger seat of my red truck and buckeled my belt, being the chief of police's daughter had taught me to never take risks where the road was concerned. I'd long ago lost count of the amount of times Charlie had been home late because ther'd been an accident and he'd had to go down.  
I began to reverse out when I saw a hand tap on my window sharply. It was Cullen. I rolled down my window for him.

"What's your number," he demanded his expression surly.  
"Ugh, w-why d-do you want m-my number?" I stuttered nervously.  
"Why do you think? So I can call you to organise our 'study session'." he said his tone showing his obvious boredom. I looked into my rear-view mirror, Tanya was leaning against Edward's shiny silver Volvo pouting her lip glossed lips in our direction.

"Am, i-it's 0873428997." I rattled off carefully in case I messed up the numbers.

"I'll call you tonight then." Edward said as he slouched back to his car. I saw through the rear-view mirror Tanya throwing her tanned arms around Edward's neck and pulling his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. I sighed. I only ever stuttered when I got really nervous. But why had I to stutter in front of him. I had wanted to show him that I was mature and we could do this tutoring thing without too much difficulty from either of us. But he'd insulted me earlier, so of course I was going to be embarrassed to speak to him.

As I drove out of the car park I could see that the rest of this year was going to be very interesting. How were Edward and I going to last with this tutoring situation. I know we both needed it for our own reasons, him to keep his football and me to get my letters of recommendation. But I don't know how long it will last until one of us cracks first and quits.

**A.N. Thanks for reading this, leave me a review and let me know what you think of it so far. Feel free to tell me exactly what you think, I won't be insulted, promise. XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**Playlist:**

**1. Caring is Creepy - The Shins**

**2. Once - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova**

**3. A Well Respected Man - The Kinks**

**4. Man Who Can't be Moved - The Script**

**5. San Diego Song - The Coronas**

**6. Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls**

**7. Let Go - Frou Frou**

Popping the lasange that was going to be our dinner in the oven I trudged upstairs with my bag on my back. Study had been one of the things that had helped my cope with things throughout my life. When Charlie and Rene had split up when I had been about eight, I had learned all my multiplication and division maths tables, two by two is equal to four, three by two is equal to six. When I had been bullied in middle school by a girl called Lauren Mallory, I had learned all about the American Revolution. Since starting high school, I studied all the time, but now I had a reason to. Get good grades, go to college, get a good job. My plan was simple. Once all that was done, I wanted to fall in love.

I wanted someone to love me for who I was, even if I had no personality. I racked my brains about why Edward Cullen saying I had no personality had bothered my so much. I had thought about way too many times since he'd said it for it to be no big deal. It wasn't that I was just upset about it, I found myself curious as to why he'd said it too.

I pulled out my algebra book and stared at trying to make sense of all the x's and y's riddled on the page before me. Math was definetly my weak point. I wasn't the worst at it in my class, but then again remember we have Jessica Stanley in our class, but I most definetly wasn't the best. I would try my best at it and revise for hours on end and would get a C+ or a B- if I was really lucky.

The growl of an engine in the driveway half an hour later signaled Charlie's return. I was just done scooping the lasange onto two plates and setting them on the table, right on time, I thought to myself. Another one of my annoying habits, I like routine.

Like me, Charlie wasn't a talker so most of the meal was ate in silence. When we were done, I washed the dishes and Charlie went to phone his friend Billy Black. Billy and Charlie had been friends since years before I was even born. He was a nice man who was in a wheelchair and lived on the reserve down by La Push. The Black's had lived on the reserver forever and were just as much part of the place as the tree and the beach. Billy had a son a small bit younger than me, Jacob, or Jake as I called him. He went to school on the reservation rather than in Forks so I didn't get to see him that often. But when we did see each other we always had a good time. He was good natured and friendly. He was the closest thing I had to having a friend.

"Billy and Jake are coming over in a bit to watch the football game." Charlie informed me gruffly. Since Billy couldn't use his legs anymore, Jake had to drive him around. Even though Jake was just gone sixteen he had been driving since he was fifteen, a fact Charlie had overlooked and never mentioned. Maybe the Forks Chiep of Police was corrupt after all.

Just then I felt my cell phone vibration in my pocket, Edward must be calling, I answered the phone, gulping loudly.

"Hello," I said as I walked up the stairs to my bedroom, I didn't want Charlie to know I was on the phone to a boy, he might feel he has to give me the 'talk'. I heard him and Billy talking about it one day. Billy's wife had died leaving with him with two teen girls as well as Jacob. I could only imagine the embarrasment the poor girls had to face.

"So when are we gonna do this then?" I heard a male voice grumble down the line. Who would've thought spending five minutes of his oh so precious time on a phonecall with me would put someone in such a bad mood.

"Whenever your free, I guess." I said. Why try and be fussy when I knew I wasn't going to be gone anywhere anyway.

"Oh yeah," he sneered, "I forgot you had no social life. How does after school sound?" Huh! He really had some cheek! I was helping him, and he couldn't say "Gee Bella thanks for the help" No Edward Cullen was an ass and boy did I know it. From what I could see he was a conceited, sarcastic, stuck up bastard! But of course I wasn't going to say this to him.

"Am, sure. Where?" God, I really was going to have to see someone for all this pent up rage I had.

"Fine. You can follow me in your shitty truck home from school tomorrow and we can study then. Bye." I heard a dial tone. He had hung up without so much as to give me chance to decide if this suited me. For all he knew my truck could've broken down or I needed to drop someone home first or something.

The doorbell rang downstairs and Charlie got up from his perch on the couch to answer it. I walked out of my room and stood at the top of the stairs and looked down. Jake and Billy were standing in the doorway, Jake leaning casually on Billy's wheelchair. Dad took over pushing Billy's and wheeled him into the sitting room so they could watch whatever game it was that was on. I walked down the stairs the stairs warily in case I tripped.

"Hey Bells!" Jake greeted cheerfully. He put up his hand jokingly gesturing for a high five. I reached up and slapped his hand, being five foot five made me feel extremely small compared to Jacob's six three!

"You hungry?" Jake nodded his head and we moved to the kitchen. Grabbing the leftover lasangea I placed it in the microwave and turned to pour him a glass of milk.

"How was school today?" queried Jake as he sat down at the kitchen table, a knife and fork in his hand.

"Fine," I said as I handed him his drink and went to stand by the microwave waiting for the beep to signal it's finish. "Mr. Banner is making me tutor Edward Cullen in biology for the rest of the year, Ugh!" The microwave finished and I carefully transferred the piping hot plate onto the table for Jacob. Jake didn't seem to notice, his face had darkened and his eyebrows were furrowed.

"Bella, if I were you I'd stay away from Edward Cullen, he's bad news." Jacob informed me, as if I didn't already know that.

"Jake, you don't even know him, neither do I. I'm going to try not to judge him until I can do it fairly," I said calmly, Jake had a red hot temper. I'd only once been on the receiving end of it once, when I'd drove skidded on some black ice with Jacob in the car with me. If he hadn't grabbed the wheel we would've hit the wall across the street.

Do you remember last month when the beach was trashed?" I nodded. "When Quil's car was found burnt out on the side of the road?" Jacob was starting to list out all these things on his large fingers "Who crashed Jared's party last year with all his friends from the football team and their various skanks?"

"Edward Cullen?" I suggested.

"Damn straight," said Jake pounding his fist against the wooden table making the whole thing shake, I raised and eyebrow at him, "Sorry Bells, I just got a bit carried away." He smiled bashfully and began to shovel the lasange into his mouth. I shook my head, Jacob Black's temper might be quick to flare but he relaxed just as quick.

"What are you doing Friday?" blurted Jacob, his sallow skin turning red.

"Nothing? Why?" I felt a feeling of unease begin to creep up on me. I knew Jacob had no girlfriend, but no way was I keen to fill that role. We had known each other too long in my opinion for me to see him that way. Jake apparently thought otherwise.

"Well, since your not doing anything and neither am I, I was wondering, if maybe you wanted to go to the cinema? You know in Port Angeles?" He was looking at me like a hopeful puppy might if you were teasing him with a treat.

"Okay," I said nodding, turning my head down to the table to hide my embarrassment. I didn't want him to mistake it for anything else.

"Cool, pick you up at seven then!"

***

The next morning as I walked to my locker, I could see a small figure, with short black hair leaning against my locker. It was unmistakably Alice Cullen. What could she want with me. To tell me to stay away from Edward, that I was messing up his social life?

"Hi! I'm Alice! You're Bella Swan right?" Alice said perkily. If I hadn't stopped it in time I swear to God that my jaw would have hit the floor. I always thought Alice Cullen disliked me! I nodded my head shakily.

"Edward said that Mr. Banner has arranged for you to tutor him. I can't thank you enough! That's what we were fighting about yesterday in class. Edward is failing so many subjects currently, he'll be lucky if the coach doesn't kick him off by the weekend! I'd help him myself, but biology wouldn't be my best subject either!" babbled Alice at a million miles an hour.

"But I guess you already know that, we're in the same biology class!" I nodded again weakly. Damn this girl had a lot of energy, for someone so small she sure co

uld make a lot of noise.

"It's no problem really, I don't mind." Lying through my teeth, Edward's sister mightn't be an ass but Edward certainly was! Alice through her arms around me giving me a hug.

"I have a feeling we're going to be great friends! I have a sixth sense about these things!" she pulled back, smiling from ear to ear. "And don't worry about Edward, he's not as obnoxious as he seems once you get to know him!" she winked at me before walking away.

***

As the bell rang that signified the end of school rang, I trudged slowly out of the crowded hall and into the cold car park. Edward Cullen was already sitting in his shiny silver Volvo, he had his seat tilted back and his ipod on. He must have ditched last period. No wonder he was failing. I heaved a sigh, and walked down to his car, tapping lightly on the window with a gloved hand. His head shot up. He opened the car door.

"Y-you s-s-said that I should follow you 'cos I don't k-know where your house is?" I stuttered. This stuttering thing around him better not be a regular thing, it was a real pain.

"Yeah, I know I did." He said grouchily. Fine, I thought, if he wants to make all this out to be my fault he can. I nodded my head curtly before trekking up the five spaces to my jeep.

We speed down the main road through Forks, or rather Edward speed and I slowly followed, and out the far side, driving towards the woods. About five minutes later, he turned up a small driveway. I most definetly wasn't prepared for the sight of his house.

It was a large white colonial style house but it had a large glass side. It was magnificent. Trees surrounded it, adding the already obvious privacy of the area.

Edward pulled his Volvo into the garage and I parked my truck outside the front door. This was going to be and extremely fun Tuesday evening.

**A.N. I know I said i'd update on Sunday or Monday but time got away from me with school and homework. I hope to have the next chapter up before Friday. Thanks to all who reviwed, Jacob included especially for grovergoldgirl! I know this is a Twilight fic but I was wondering would anyone be interested in reading a James/Lily fiction for Harry Potter? It would be completely canon. It isn't ready yet though, I'd also be looking for a beta for it. XD**


	3. Chapter 3

**Playlist:**

**1. Bones - The Killers**

**2. Wolf like me - TV on the Radio**

**3. Trust Me I'm a Doctor - The Blizzards**

**4. Steady Song - Republic of Loose**

**5. Mountains of Navaho - Scouting for Girls**

**6. Baby it's Fact - Hellogoodbye**

**7. Lullaby - Mitch Hansen Band.**

**Mitch Hansen Band have a whole album inspired by Twilight and they're really good!**

Once we were inside Edward went into the kitchen and I meekly followed him. The interior of the Cullen's house were just as awe inspiring as the outside. It was obvious that a lot of thought had gone into the design and layout of the furniture and interior decoration.

"Your home is beautiful." I breathed to Edward.

"You're so sweet," said a voice. I turned around to see a woman with caramel coloured movie star style curls. You know the sort that look natural but can take hours to do if you're not lucky enough to be born with them naturally.

"I'm Edward's mother, Esme," she said while wiping her flour covered hands on her apron. She was leaning against a counter which was covered in freshly rolled out pastry. "I'd shake your hand but..." she trailed off raising her dusty hands to indicate her issue.

"I'ts okay," I smiled, "I'm Bella by the way," she smiled knowingly. I guess she already knew who I was. Alice must have mentioned to her what a fiasco the biology class yesterday had been. Or maybe Edward had complained about me.

"We're going upstairs to study Esme. " said Edward grabbing a cookie off a small plate on the counter. They still had steam rising from them. God it had been so long since I'd had a freshly baked home made cookie. Baking cookies had been one of the few things Rene had been able to make in the kitchen without causing serious harm to herslef of others around her. I cooked for Charlie. all the time but had never

been much of a baker.

"That's okay, Will Bella be staying for dinner?" Esme asked brightly going back to rolling her dough with the wooden rolling pin. But before I could explain that I had to go home and cook dinner for Charlie, Alice burst into the kitchen, tossing her blue schoolbag on the floor.

"Of course she is! It would be rude to keep her here all evening and not feed her!" Esme nodded in agreement. Alice beamed at me. Edward heaved a sigh and glared at me again.

"Well I guess we'd better get started," I waved to Alice and Esme as Edward walked out of the kitchen and towards a rather grand sweeping staircase. Walking into his room, I registered the fact that this was the first time I had ever been in a boys bedroom. It wasn't all that different from my own. It was painted a pale blue with a bed in the middle of the room and a pair of bedside lockers on either side with a small lamp on one and a clock on another. There was also a desk with a laptop propped up on it. He had a large shelf beside the desk, jam-packed with CD's with a very modern looking sound system on top of it. But the thing that shocked me the most was the bookshelf over by the window. It was filled with books, the spines looked weathered and well read. What was Edward Cullen doing with books in his room.

Pulling out the chair that was pushed in under the desk, Cullen sat down on it and pulled his biology book out of his bag. There was no second chair so I had to sit on his bed. I could practically hear his mental thoughts planning to change the bed later. Well, did he honestly expect me to stand for the next hour! From the look of disgust on his face, I would say he did.

"So, what section would you like to start on?" I asked tucking , a strand of hair behind my ear and opening my book to it's table of contents.

"Does it matter, we're going to have to do them all anyway?" he said shrugging his muscular shoulders. Wait, my brain screamed, stop thinking of him like that, he was a pig! Granted a very good looking and handsome pig, but a pig none the less!

"O-okay, do you mind if we start with the circulatory system?" he nodded his head and looked down at his book for a second before flicking to the appropriate chapter.

"The heart is a muscle," I began, beginning to feel more comfortable already, if there was one thing that made me relax, it was knowing exactly what was going on, with biology I knew what was what. "It pumps blood to the lungs and around the body."

Edward listened in silence for most of the hour. Occasionally he asked me to clarify something for him or to ask a question. When I heard Esme call us for dinner when the hour was up, I felt like it had gone well, definetly better than what was expected.

"I'll give you a test on it tomorrow to see how much of it you remeber, okay?" I felt like I'd been asking him if things about this situaition were a lot. Surely he should be the one asking me.

Downstairs, the smell was tantalizing. Esme had prepared chicken curry and rice and you could smell the spice in the room. It's a good thing I like my curry hot! It wasn't just Esme and Alice in the kitchen now, all the Cullens were there, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Carlisle.

Jasper was leaning against the counter chatting to Alice, he raised his right hand and waved at me, giving me a shy smile. I was right to think he was quiet. Esme was placing the plates on the table with Emmett. Woah, I thought, he was even bigger up close. All muscle. I could probably have fit snugly into one of his biceps! Emmett smiled broadly at me when I came in with Edward and gave one look at Edward's sulky expression and laughed loudly. Rosalie was pulling herself out a chair to sit down on. She sank gracefully down before giving me a dirty look through her dark sooty eyelashes. How could most of the Cullens seem perfectly nice and yet some of them, let's not mention any names, Edward cough Rosalie cough, seemed to hold me personally responsible for everything horrible in the world. Global warming, blame Bella! There was a man seated at the head the table reading a large heavy book which was perched on the table, he had light blonde hair and pale skin, I presumed he was Dr. Cullen, the Cullen's adoptive father.

"Hello," he said, his voice was deep and had a reassuring quality. "You must be Bella," he stood up and extended his hand to me. I shook it breifly.

"Yes, Dr. Cullen." I replied staring at the ground.

"Please call me Carlisle Bella." He said as he sat back down closing his book firmly and placing it on the ground beside his left foot. Everyone else made their way to the table and sat down. I found myself between Alice and Emmett. Thank God, I though silently, at least neither of them seemed to see me as curse, or else they were just very good at hiding their disgust. I wasn't completley lucky though. Rosalie happened to be seated in the chair across from me and between bites of chicken and rice, she would scowl in my direction. I guess you can't have it every way.

"Did everyone have a good day?" said Esme as she finally sat down beside Carlisle giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yep!" said Alice chirpily. Everyone else just mumbled a bit.

"So Bella, what subjects do you take at school, I know you take Biology but what else?" asked Carlisle kindly.

"I do french, math, english, history and chemistry." He nodded his head.

"Are they all AP?" This time I nodded my head. "What college are you interested in going to next year?"

"I'm hoping to go to Dartmouth on an academic scholarship." I said, noticing the subtle sound of pride in my voice. I internally cringed.

"So is Edward!" he exclaimed, "What a coincidence." I looked at my half-eaten dinner feeling my face redden. Out of the top of my eyes I could see Rosalie throw Edward a look. He had been strangely quiet since dinner had started. I dissmissed this. Probably just pissed off about having to study.

The rest of the meal passes without further major conversation. Emmett told loads of jokes and everyone laughed. Alice chattered to anyone who would listen. Normally I don't like people who talk too much, but Alice talking didn't seem to bother me at all. Jasper was talking quietly with Edward about some film or other and Rosalie was talking to Esme about an upcoming shopping trip that her and Alice planned to go on to Seattle.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed loudly, turning to me a satisfied smile spread across her small face. "You have to come shopping in seattle with Rosalie and me! We'll have a great time!" Rosalie shot Alice a dirty look and I heard Alice yelp. "Ow Rose, that hurt," said Alice rubbing her ankle. Rosalie shrugged. Alice looked at me expectantly.

"I-I guess." Alice beamed at me. Looking back now I don't know why I accepted. I knew Rosalie didn't want me to come and I wasn't all that keen. Nervous reaction myabe?

"We're going on Thursday, okay?" I pushed my fringe out of my eyes so I could see properly. I acknowledged her with a smile before I swept my eyes down the length of the table to find Edward staring at me. I bashfully averted my gaze staring demurley down at the table.

My phone rang in my pocket. I excused myself from the table and walked into the Cullen's large bright hall.

"Hello?" I asked warily.

"Bella? Where are you!" I tried to answer but Charlie cut in again, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I'm at the Cullen's house." I said wondering how Charlie would react to this.

"The Cullens?" he sounded genuinley shocked. "What are you doing there?"

"I'm tutoring Edward Cullen, he's in my biology class." I wondered if he would know who I was talking about, I'd never really spoken of the Cullen's with Charlie before.

"Oh, well can you come home now, you've homework to do." Charlie put a lot of emphasis on study, he like me, agreed that grades and education were important.

"Okay, see you in a while then." I said as I hung up and walked back into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry but I've got to go, my Dad wants me to come home." I said to Esme. Edwards head turned towards me a smug smile on his face, looked like he was glad that I was leaving. No way was I letting him off the hook with that! I was sick of him walking all over me.

"See you tomorrow after school in the library for our next session, okay Edward?" I said brightley willing myself not to blush. Edward heaved a sigh but nodded.

"I'll walk you to the door Bella," said Alice hopping up from her seat and bounding alongside me to the door. "I'll call you later with the details for shopping!" She stayed at the door and waved to me as I drove off.

Tonight had gone different as to how I had expected it to be, some of it had been horrible. I thought about Rosalies looks and Edwards surly glares, but some of the evening had been nice, daresay the best I'd had in a while! Talking to Jake yesterday hadn't been that much fun seeing as how all he'd done was warn me off Edward Cullen and apart from that all my recent evenings had been spent studying. It puzzeled me as to how the Cullens who apart from Rosalie seemed such nice people and how Edward could have turned out like the arragant concieted jerk that he is now.

**A.N. I just want to say thanks to anyone who has reviewed or read this story, it means a lot. Sorry it took me so long to update it's just I was singing in a choir for this concert and we were practicing all the time! If anyone wants me to review a story for them or beta I'd be more the interested. Also I know that Edward hasn't spoken much so far but he will open up more next chapter. Also I know that Bella being so shy is kind of annoying, well I know it is to write anyway, but that's just who she is right now and she does grow more confident as the story goes on. Thanks again! XD  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**Playlist:**

**You - Desiree**

**2. Grace Don't Wait - The Coronas**

**3. Here I go again on my own - Whitesnake**

**4. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams**

**5. Killer Queen - Queen**

**6. Bedshaped - Keane**

**7. Pain - Jimmy Eat World**

**I know people just probably skip past the playlist at the start of every chapter, but if you don't, let me know what you think of the songs!**

Mondays were my favorite day of the week, a chance to start a fresh at what ever it was that you wanted, a diet, studying, attitude makeover. But today was Wednesday, the worst day of the week. Wednesdays always seemed to drag like cold winter nights. Wednesdays were the halfway point in the week, you kept telling yourself that you were almost there, but the cold hard reality of the situation was the fact that you were a while off it yet.

Wednesday kicked off with a double biology, one of the only good things about today. That is until I walked into the room and saw Edward Cullen sitting in my desk at the back of the room, texting someone on his phone.

"Hi Bella!" said Alice chirpily from her usual seat beside the door, "Mr. Banner told Edward to sit next to you." She explained, using energetic hand gestures. "I guess you were wondering what he was doing at your desk," she giggled.

"Thanks for the head off Alice," I sighed as I turned to walk towards my desk, wait now it was our desk, Edward's and I.

"Hang on a sec," said Alice grabbing onto my arm gently to hold me back. "I know Edward was an ass last night, so was Rose, I spotted the looks." She said seriously. "I've warned Edward he had better get over himself and fast!"

"He wan't that bad." I lied carefully. I could hardly tell her about how I had fantasized last night about slapping him across the face, that wasn't the sort of thing a girl wanted to hear about her brother.

"Bella," said Alice raising her eyebrows, she knew I was lying. "Come on!" I grinned sheepishly at the ground. I walked towards the desk, keeping my eyes on my feet, walking over all these bags were health hazards for someone like me. I looked up when I was about a meter from Cullen. Suddenly the unexpected happened. EDWARD CULLEN FLASHED ME A HEART MELTING SMILE! I tripped over the blue Jansport bag in front of me. I hit the ground with a thud.

Reality crashed back to me with a rosounding smack when I turned around and saw Tanya standing about a foot behind me, her face filled with disgust as she gracefully stepped around me. Her feet clad in pink flat shoes with little black bows on the front trod on my books.

"Hey sweetheart," she crooned, sitting on top of the desk resting her feet on my chair. She was wearing a tight babyblue jumper that matched her eyes perfectly, but more importantly showed off her ample cleavage to it's best advantage. Her boobs were practically popping out of her top and into Edward's face. But he didn't seem to even notice.

Tanya leaned down and pushed her lips onto Edward's. I felt something strange stir inside me. I struggled to get up off the floor because my bag was weighed down with books because I hadn't bothered to stop by locker yet this morning. I dropped it down at the side of the desk, it landed with a bang, startling the pair. Tanya pulled back and unwound herself from around

Edward, her lips were swollen and her eyes were hazy. It must have been one hell of a kiss, either that or she was stoned.

"What was that for? Take it easy, okay? Some of us are busy here!" She said loftily returning her attentions to Cullen.

"Humph!" I muttered under my breath, except I didn't mutter it. It came out loud too loud.

"Excuse me!" Tanya demanded whirling around to face me. Her eyes were no longer hazy but blazing with rage. I swallowed.

"Um nothing..." I trailed off my gaze returning straight to the ground. God Bella, you have to go and upset the most popular girl at school. One of the few good things about Tanya was the fact that she had never noticed me up until now that is.

"I heard you, you slow bitch! How dare you..." she seethed, facing Edward looking to him for back up.

"Tanya just leave it alone." Edward groaned putting his phone into his pocket. "You've got spainish now anyway, you don't want to be late. Otherwise they might land you with a tutor." He glanced in my direction, his expression for once neutral.

Damn, I thought disappointedly, I thought he was actually standing up for me. I guess he couldn't resist throwing in that one snide comment towards the end.

"I guess your right baby," Tanya said as she leaned down towards him again to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Her pink lipstick left a small smear on his cheek. She swung her long dancer legs off the desk and onto the floor. She pushed me with her shoulder as she sturtted past me. I stumbled a bit but held my balance.

"Sorry about that, I didn't mean for that to come out..." I said, stewing in guilt never made me feel good. Might as well apologize now, while leave the bad karma pile up.

"Don't worry about it, she's just hormonal." Edward said opening his book as Mr. Banner entered the room. I think it was the fact that Edward Cullen had said something halfway nice that made me blurt out what came next.

"She's pregnant!" I said shocked. Edward looked at me for a moment before his eyes grew wide and he began to laugh.

"God no!" he said. "She must just be PMSing or something." He stayed laughing for another second. I Bellla Swan had made Edward Cullen laugh! Who would've thought! Just last night I thought he would've gladly sacrificed me aztec style if it just meant he could get rid of me. I blushed and looked up at the board, Mr. Banner was done writing the classes topic on the board a continuation from our last class, respiration. He was glaring down at Edward and I or more specifically Edward.

"If Mr. Cullen would be so kind as to calm down now, so he can start the class." the look Mr. Banner shot Edward was poisonous. He turned his attention to me next, "And Bella Swan, I must say I'm utterly disgusted with you, I thought I could trust you to not be lead astray by Cullen!" He spat out Edward's name like it left a bad taste in his mouth. I quickly flicked open my book afraid to meet his gaze. A few of the ass holes in the class tittered and giggled, glad to see the teacher's pet and resident class brain reprimanded.

Mr. Banner began the lesson in his usual toneless voice his words barely understandable. I took notes as best I could, but my mind was reeling. Edward had stood up for me against Tanya, his own girlfriend, well sort of stood up for me and he had also laughed at something I had said.

***

Lunch came and I walked into the cafeteria to get a soda before I headed to the library but someone grabbed me before I could leave.

"Bella!" Alice exclaimed, bouncing as usual. "Come eat lunch with us..." She steered me over to a table in a corner. It was the table where the Cullens and the Hales sat. Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, Edward and Tanya. Even though she wasn't part of the gang she was allowed sit with them because she was with Edward. When Alice and Jasper along with Rosalie and Emmett had become a couple people had found it very weird but after a while people had just accepted it. Apart from Edward none of the rest of them had not started living with the Cullens till they were older.

Alice had come when she was thirteen and had started junior high here, Rosalie and Jasper came at fourteen, they brought they're own surname with them, Hale. Emmett had arrived when he was fifteen. Edward meanwhile had been with Carlisle and Esme since he was seven.

When I reached the table Emmett gave me a grin and dragged the chair beside him out for me to sit in without getting up. I sat in it unsure of what to do. It had been a while since I had eaten in the cafeteria.

Jasper gave me a polite nod and went back to the book he was reading. I checked the cover subconsciously. An annoying habit I had was that I was curious about what other people were reading. The American Civil War. Interesting, I thought, never would have put him down as having much of an interest in history. Rosalie gave me a cool nod before closing her eyes and leaning casually against Emmett's broad shoulder.

Tanya sickeningly enough was seated on Edward's lap feeding him crisps out of a bag, she kept giving him a quick peck on the lips every few seconds. Crisp, Kiss, Crisp, Kiss. I couldn't help but stare. Who does that sort of thing in public, let alone in private. I felt that strange feeling in my stomach erupt again.

"Sooo, Bella, you excited about tomorrow?" Alice asked brightly. It took me a second to remember what was happening tomorrow.

"Am, yeah, I guess." I said. Swiveling around in Edward's lap Tanya asked fixed a look at me.

"What's tomorrow?" she asked sweetly. I looked at Alice. Was Tanya invited? If so I suddenly wasn't too sure if I wanted to go or not.

"Oh you know, Bella, Alice and I are going shopping in Seattle tomorrow." said Rosalie smoothly and from the look of pure venom she directed at Tanya I guess the pair didn't get on so well. I guess there was only room for one gorgeous girl at each table.

"Would you mind if I came?" Tanya queried gazing mock innocently at each of our faces in turn. Her eyes were like a cat's watching it's prey attempt to free from under it's paw.

"Sorry," said Rose apologetically, Alice nodded in agreement, she apparently wasn't Tanya's biggest fan either, "but the car's all full. We'll have a lot of shopping with us and we'll have to cram it all in to the back seat with Bella anyway and it'll be too much of a crush." Tanya considered this for a moment.

"But Bella can't go," said Tanya smiling like a cat who got all the cream,"She and Edward have to study for their test in biology together." Rosalie looked visibly disappointed. Maybe it was the whole lesser of two evils thing. She preferred me to Tanya but she preferred dog poo to me.

"It's okay Tanya, I have football practice on Thursday anyway, I was going to have to ditch tutoring tomorrow any way. Tanya's triumphant grin faded as suddenly as though Edward had hit her.

"Edward," she whined. Then suddenly as if a light bulb in her head had flicked on she reached out and stroked his jaw. "Probably all for the best anyway, my parent's are going out of town tonight and won't be back till Sunday so I was thinking of having a party on Thursday, you can come early, help me set up." From the lustful look in her eyes I don't think there would be very much setting up done.

"Cool," said Edward a bored look on his face. Tanya looked slightly put out. Enthusiastic much Edward, I thought.

"That sounds like fun the three of us will just have to stop by when we're done in Seattle." said Rosalie cooly as Emmett wrapped a free hand around Rosalie's waist. Tanya threw a disapproving look in my direction but smiled a haughty smile.

"Sure."

**A.N. I know this chapter isn't that long but I wrote it in an afternoon. I updated yesterday but the last chapter had been ready for a while but I never got around to posting it so I said I'd make up for it by putting this one up quick! Thanks again to everyone who reviewed again. Also if anyone wants me to beta a story for them leave me a pm and I'll get back to you right away! If you have any suggestions or character from the books that you want put into this story, let me know. Also Tanya is going to be a bit of bitch in this story but I'm not one of the people who hate her in the book. I think she's nice and doesn't push herself on Edward.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Playlist:**

**1. Bad Things - Jace Everett**

**2. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi**

**3. Uncle Johnny - Sam's Town**

**4. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - Muse**

**5. Merry Happy - Kate Nash**

**6. Those Magic Changes - Sha na na**

**7. Take Me Away - Plain White Tees**

"Soooooooooooooooooo, Bella," said Alice as we walked together to math, "I know the plan on Thursday was originally to go after school, but Rose and I were thinking, since we have to get new outfits for the party, we should skip and just spend the day"

She looked at me nervously. Charlie was not going to agree to that.

"I don't know Alice," I said carefully. I really did want to go now, just to stick it to Tanya. "Charlie won't be keen."

"Never mind about him," she said shaking her head. "I'll get Esme to ring him to ask him can you sleepover tonight and tomorrow." I blinked at her.

"Mmm." I said, she did have a point, what Charlie didn't know couldn't hurt him.

"Great!" Alice said, excited now. "You and Edward can study in the library after school, then he can follow you, wait for you to get a bag packed and then give you a lift to our house. We'll give you a lift to school Friday morning." She whipped out her phone. "Look, I'll talk to you later, I just have to phone Esme to get her to ring Charlie."

She gave me a casual wave as she headed outside to make the call. I had to admit, it was a good plan. Charlie would be none the wiser. But with me alone in a car with Edward freakin' Cullen! How would that go? I know he seemed to have warmed up to me but was that all an act while Alice was around? I know he was protective of his car, when he parked in the morning he always made sure it was locked and that the side mirrors were tucked in so that they wouldn't get damage. It always looked like it was clean too, what if I tripped and crashed headlong into it and scratched it's shiny silver paint!

I walked the rest of the way towards English on my own. But just when I walked past the girls bathroom, I saw Tanya, standing waiting for someone, and from the way her eyes trailed me up the corridor, I guess it was me.

"Bella," she crooned, "A word?" She signaled inside the door that led to the girl's restrooms. I felt some long buried girl war instinct telling me to run, but I held firm. She probably just wanted to say hi or something. Yeah, right.

"So, I know we got off on the wrong foot," she smiled silkily as she pushed her self up to sit on the counter top where the sinks were. I nodded meekly, not really seeing where this was going. "I guess it was partly my fault, I'm kind of territorial, you see?"

"Yeah," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, it's just that seeing other girls pathetically attempting to throw themselves at my boyfriend, just pisses me of..." She smiled suggestively.

"What do you m-mean?" Was she saying I was flirting with Cullen, me? No way!

"Oh don't play dumb Swan," she said sneeringly, "You know exactly what I mean, all this tutoring crap!"

"No, no Tanya, I-I'm just tutoring him really!" I said defensively, my heart beating frantically. My instincts to run had been right, I really should have paid more attention to them.

"Whatever you say," she gave me a sly wink. "Just keep away from Edward, okay? Otherwise we might have a small issue." She slipped off the counter. "Bye, enjoy Seattle!"

And just like that she was gone. I went over to the counter top and leaned against it and looked into the grubby mirror. My face was pale and my cheeks flushed. What had Tanya meant by an 'issue'? Tanya had a lot of pull with a lot of people in the school. She could turn the whole student body against me with a click of her well manicured hands. I'd have to watch myself around Edward now.

***

When I reached the library after school that evening, Edward was waiting for me in a desk at the very back of the room, hidden from the librarian by several rows of large old bookcases. His biology books were spread out in front of him. He seemed to be focused intently on the pages of the book. As I neared him, I saw that he was looking at the chapter we had covered the last day. I couldn't help but feel slightly smug about that.

"Hey," he said evenly as I dragged out a chair to sit on. "Alice told me to tell you that Esme sorted out things with Charlie."

"Thanks," I said smiling at him.

"So, what are we going to start with today?" he asked flipping absently through his book.

"How about the breathing system?" I replied unzipping my bag and pulling out my book. He turned the appropriate page and looked up at me. God, I couldn't help but think, even with a bored expression on his face Edward Cullen still managed to look like an angel.

"Okay, gaseous exchange takes place in the lungs, we breath in Oxygen and we breath out Carbon Dioxide." He nodded. "This is the diagram of the breathing system. Here are the lungs and here is the diaphragm." I said as I pointed to the respective organs.

"You're hand's are tiny." Edward said unexpectedly. Looking down at them.

"I-I guess." Glancing down at my hands I lifted them up to eye level to examine them. Edward obviously mistook the gesture and lifted his hand also up and put it palm to palm with mine.

I tingle passed from my hand all the way up to my arm and to my head. A surge of heat welled up in my body and I felt my vision go sort of hazy. My finger's barely reached his knuckles. Edward snapped back his hand looking disgruntled. Did he feel it too?

"Continuing on..." he said, looking back down at his book. Was it my imagination or was Edward Culln blushing? Let's call Sky News! Great the thought of him being embarrassed made blood rise to my face too and now my face looked like a giant over sized tomato!

***

"It's not too far from here, it's only a couple of miles or so." I informed Edward shyly as we walked out into the car park together. He was walking along beside me but about five feet away. If you passed us you would think that it was a coincidence that he happened to be going in the same direction.

"Okay," he nodded curtly. I gave him a feeble wave as I climed into my truck and pulled out. I waited for him to start his engine before indicating. I drove the short few miles to my house contemplating how the car ride from my house to the Cullens would go.

I know it seems stupid to obsess over something as trivial as sitting in a car as someone when mostly you do it without a second thought, but up until today, I thought Edward Cullen hated my guts, but now, he didn't seem to entirely hate me.

I parked in my driveway leaving enough room beside me for Edward to park in. He got out of his car and surveyed my house carefully. Embarrassment flared as I thought about what he could be thinking. His house was huge and mine was a bit smaller than average. It fit Charlie and me in it comfortably but it was definetley no mansion! Charlie wasn't home from work yet, for which I was thankful. He would probably think Edward was my boyfriend and try and intimidate him.

"A-am you c-can come in if you like?" I offered nervously.

"Thanks." I pulled my house keys out of my pocked as we approached the house, when the door was open I went into the living room, Edward obediently followed me.

"The remote is there if you y'know want to watch T.V. or what ever, I'll be down in a minute." He reached over to take the remote before flicking on the T.V. He immediately flicked to some channel that was showing a football match.

Once I was in my room, I set about grabbing my pajamas and spare clothes for tomorrow. I debated over whether my pajamas were suitable or not, they were a pair of boxer style shorts and an over sized Chicago bears t-shirt that I had gotten from Charlie years ago when he had gone to Chicago to visit his aunt who was sick. In the end I dismissed my worry, what did it matter what I wore in bed. Alice no doubt wouldn't care. I threw my hairbrush and toothbrush into my bag pack along with the clothes. Grabbing my retainer case, with my retainer inside it, I shoved it quickly in the bag before zipping it up.

"Ready," I said to Edward as he turned off the T.V. and turning to face me.

"That was fast," I nodded as he walked out the front door. I turned to lock it and I could feel Edward staring at me. I gingerly stepped into the passenger seat of his volvo throwing my bag at my feet. Edward slouched down beside me and switched on the radio before buckling her belt. The familiar strains of Clair de Lune surrounded my ears.

"You listen to Clair de Lune when you drive?" I blurted out shocked. I'd always assumed he was listening to rap or something like most of the guys on the football team.

"Yeah, you got a problem with it?" he replied grumpily. He must have taken it as I was insulting his musical taste.

"No," I shook my head vigorously, "I like Clair de Lune too. Do you listen to much other classical music?" He nodded his head slowly, his eyes fixed on the road as he drove fast, too fast to be honest, along the road.

"I like most classical stuff, Clair de Lune is my favorite though." he answered, I could hear his voice warming up to the topic. "One of my other favorites is Eine Kliena Nacht Muzik by Mozart." He pressed a switch on the car's radio and the song changed.

"I like the L'arlisienne Suite by Bizet," I added, "Do you know it?"

"I can play it," he said smiling at me.

"What do you play?" I asked yet again shocked, I hadn't thought Edward Cullen was musical at all.

"Piano, I've been playing since I was about five." You could have knocked me over with a feather. I couldn't have been more surprised if Edward had asked me if I wanted to play ping-pong naked with him! Okay, I thought attempting to be rational, maybe that was an exaggeration.

I smiled at him and he smiled back. We listened to the music for the rest of the ride to his home, both of us occasionally commenting on a piece. We seemed to agree about a lot of things, we both thought the four seasons by Vivaldi was annoying and that music sounded best played in the car while you were driving. Everytime we agreed Edward would smile a lopsided smile at me and my heart would do an annoying flip thing. Everytime we disagree we both began to laugh and attempt to argue our respective points.

We reached the Cullen's house sooner than I would have like, but you know what they say, time flys when your having fun or in a car with a lunatic driver!

***

"Bella, Bella, Bella... Please!" Alice begged me, clasping her hands to her chest. "It would look amazing on you!" Rosalie looked up from her magazine and rolled her eyes at me. She seemed to have gotten over her dislike for me. Who would have guessed that Tanya had been the cause for our sudden sort of friendship.

"But isn't my hair fine like this? I mean it's only a party." I said carefully, tugging on my hair slightly to illustrate my point. Alice turned to open mouth gape at Rose who shook her head.

"Only a party! Tanya may be a bitch but she can throw a good party! I'm doing your hair for the party and your makeup tomorrow night!" she said pointing at me. "I might as well do your clothes too, you can really stick it to Tanya by looking hotter than she is at her own party.

"Fine, I guess." I said heaving a melodramatic sigh. To be honest I didn't mind either way what way she made me over. I owed her for being so nice to me, if this was what made her happy I might as well oblige. Debt repayed.

It was half one and so far I had been manicured, pedicured and waxed within half an inch of my life. In Alice's words, "Why do anything without being thorough." Rose had said goodnight to us about twenty minutes ago and had gone back to her room promising Alice she would be up on time.

"Alice, I'm thirsty. I'm just gonna run downstairs and get a drink okay? Do you want anything?" She shook her head and began to climb into her bed. I was staying in the guest room which was a small bright room at the end of the corridor.

"Night Bella," she said flicking off the light as I left the room. I padded donstairs in my blue fuzzy sleep socks, sliding on the smooth wodden floors. There was a light on in the kitchen but I thought nothing of it, someone must have forgotten to turn it off before going to bed. I walked in and I saw Edward sitting on the counter in just his underwear and a t-shirt eating a bowl of cereal.

I slipped. I lost my grip on the tiles and let out a quiet scream as I fell on the floor causing a loud bang.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked hopping off the counter and offering me a hand to help pull me up. I nodded. My brain felt fuzzy. He was hardly a metre away wearing very little clothing. I looked down at the ground and froze.

I was wearing the boxer and t-shirt combo that I had packed! My legs were luckily hairless but bright red from the wax! He must think I've some kind of rare and disgusting skin disease! He too had just noticed what I was wearing. He smirked at me moving back towards the counter top. I bet Tanya wore a nice lacy nightgown.

"I-I just c-came down for a glass of w-water," I explained stupidly. He raised his eyebrow and pointed to a press near the cooker his mouth fool of cereal. I made my way over to the press conscious of my on display chicken legs. I opened the press and it was filled with glasses and mugs of all shapes and sizes. I selected one and moved over to the sink. I let the water run for a second but I could feel Edward's burning gaze on me the whole time. I fiddled with the hem of my baggy t-shirt and hoped it wasn't see through. It had been washed so often it had now become slightly threadbare.

"Can't sleep," I asked him attempting conversation while the glass filled.

"I was out, over at Tanya's." I blushed. It didn't take that much imagination to guess what two teenagers did that late at night that you come back hungry from. He munched on the last bite of his cereal before walking over towards me and opening the dishwasher.

When his arm brushed against mine a felt a tingle similar to the one in the library earlier take over my body, only more intense. Why did I keep feeling like that and why was Edward Cullen the cause!

"Night," I said quietly as I headed up the stairs Edward following behind me, flicking off the various light witches as he went. We walked down to the end of the corridor on the second floor. Suddenly I became aware of just how loud my heartbeat was and how noisy my breathing was. It turned out our room's were across from one another.

"Goodnight." He said closing his door. I closed mine.

**A.N. Thank to everyone who reviewed so far, it means a lot. I tried to make Edward less boring this chapter, if you've any suggestions or comments let me know, okay?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Playlist:**

**1. The Airplane Song - Scouting for Girls**

**2. Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash**

**3. We didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel**

**4. Rat Race - Billy Idol**

**5. The Sacrament - HIM**

**6. Grease Lightening - Grease**

**7. The Promise - Girls Aloud**

**I had to throw Grease in there because my school play is Grease this year and it's on in a month and I have all the songs in my head, major pain!**

I woke up dizzy and disorientated. I sat up and looked around the room frantically trying to figure out where I was. Rose was at the door an amused expression on her face. Oh yeah, I remembered, I'm at the Cullen's house. I hadn't slept away form home for about... well I couldn't really remember.

"Wake up call, we're leaving in like ten minutes." said Rosalie who was already fully dressed and her hair arranged perfectly.

"Ugh huh." I grunted and got out of bed, "Thanks." She gave a quiet laugh and left the room. I wouldn't have pegged her for a morning person! I went over to my bag and pulled out my plain blue jeans, a white long sleeved top and navy zip up hoodie. I quickly pulled them on before grabbing my coat and scarf. Seattle was cold at this time of year. I pulled my hair into a pony tail before brushing my teeth in the small en suite in my room. I made my way downstairs and saw Alice and Rosalie sitting in the kitchen waiting.

"Here you go," said Alice passing me a cereal bar, an apple and a bottle of water,"We're on a tight schedule so you're going to have to eat while we drive.

"That's fine I don't mind," I smiled and followed her outside to her car and what a car it was! Normally the Cullen's came to school with Edward but sometimes they came in Alice's small yellow porshe. But this car was neither it was a red m3! It was shiny and not a scratch anywhere on it. So being meticulous about their vehicles was hereditary in this adopted family I thought glancing at Carlisle's merc which was in a similar condition.

"I got it for my birthday," said Rosalie proudly going over and stroking the side of the car before climbing into the driver's seat. Alice bounced over to the passenger seat and I got into the back. Alice turned on the radio to a station where music was playing.

Within minutes we were cruising the high ways that led us to Seattle. Alice chattered away knowing neither Rosalie or I were really listening. I ate my cereal bar and stared out the window watching everything go by. But suddenly my attention was caught by something Alice was saying.

"I've saw the dress on their website a few weeks ago and it would be perfect on Bella, I checked and they still have some, isn't that great Bella," She turned around and beamed at me. I felt the color drain from my face.

"A dress?" I asked incredulously. "I thought this was more of a jeans and hoodie party?" Rosalie gave a short laugh before Alice threw her a dirty look and she stopped abruptly looking sheepish.

"Very funny Bella!" she exclaimed, "But no, it's a proper party where people tend to get pretty dressed up." My heart sank. "No need to look so worried Bella! The dress is simple enough, it'll look amazing on you."

Sometime later we found ourselves in a multi tiered car park. I got out of the car, my legs felt a little stiff and I shook them for a second to try and get some feeling back into them. I checked my wallet to make sure I'd brought it with me. I had about two hundred dollars in it which I had gotten for my birthday from various relations.

"Come on we're burning daylight here!"

***

"Bella, it's stunning on you!" Alice exclaimed clasping her hands, she looked like a proud parent on their child's first day at school. I turned around from her inspection and stared into the mirror.

I don't know how the dress really look on my but I agreed with her comment about the dress being stunning. It was seven inches up from my knee, but it didn't look slutty. It was a deep blue color and had no straps to hold it up. I gulped. It was loose and flowing on the skirt part but the top of it was tight and clung to me. It was probably the nicest dress I had ever seen!

"Wow." I said quietly. Rosalie came in next. She was dressed in a beautiful gold dress which ended even highr than mine and it was a halter neck which tied with a small bow behind her neck.

"It looks great on you," she said smiling at me, "I have a pair of high heels that will go perfect with that." We had bonded today while waiting in numerous changing rooms waiting for Alice to work her way through a humongus pile of clothes.

"Are they the ones that have ribbons that tie up the ankles?" Alice asked fingering the hem of her forest green mini dress which tied with a red bow around the waist. Rose nodded, "Perfect," Alice agreed.

"I think it's time to head back home if we want to be at the party anytime before eleven." she said as she twirled out of the changing room in her new dress so we could all change. I reluctantly stepped out of the dress and hung it on it's hanger before I hung it back on it's wooden hanger. My jeans and hoodie felt boring compared to the dress.

***

I tugged nervously on the bottom of my dress, it had looked one hell of a lot longer in the store! Alice and Rosalie had curled my hair and pinned the top section back leaving my fringe down. They had put a navy shade of eyeliner on my eyes and a cherry coloured lip balm on my lips, other than that they had left me alone, Alice had wanted to use foundation and Rose mascara but I drew the line. My skin was kind of oily and if I got too warm while wearing foundation my face looked like it could deep fat fry food. I always forgot I was wearing mascara and would end up rubbing my eyes leaving a big dark mark on my skin.

The music was pounding as we headed up the lawn. Jessica lived a little outside town and her neighbors houses were a good bit out so they wouldn't hear much of the noise, no way did I want the police called. I could only imagine how Edward would look at me if Charlie came and ended the party.

Jessica and her boyfriend Mike were sitting on the front lawn leaning against the house. They would pull away from each other for a few seconds to take a swig of their beers. Jessica kept laughing hysterically every so often, I took this as a sure sign that she was completely langers.

The house was crowded and teaming with people. I saw Tanya grinding against Lauren singing along loudly to whatever song was playing. I didn't know the song, it was loud with a strong beat made for dancing. Tanya was dressed in a low cut pink clingy dress and kept running a hand seductively through her hair as she dance throwing sultry looks over at Edward who was standing beside Emmett and Jasper drinking beer and leaning against the wall.

"Jasper!" Alice squealed as she skipped across the dance floor to the boys, she threw her arms around Jasper and hugged him. I guess not seeing the love of your life, as Alice liked to call Jasper jokingly, in a couple of hours was hard. Emmett wrapped his large arms around Rosalie's waist and pushed his lips down to hers. They kissed fiercely. I stared at the ground, Edward stood there awkwardly too. What was the protocol for situations like this, were we both fifth wheels or did two fifth wheel equal to three pairs of wheels?

I looked up at Edward and saw that his gaze was already burning down on me. When I met his stare his eyebrows raised and appraised me. I felt my cheeks fill with blood. Emmett and Rosalie as well as Jasper and Alice had headed out on to the dance floor.

"Decided to tart yourself up did you Swan?" he asked jeeringly, I looked anywhere but at him. "You do realize you look just as stupid as you always do! I don't know why you bother, no one notices anyway. It's just pathetic!" I spat. A lump rose in my throat.

"Smile!" said Alice brightly snapping a photo with her pink digital camera before melting back out onto the dance floor to take more photographs, god knows we would all want to remember this night.

"Just because the rest of my family puts up with you out of pity doesn't mean that I have to." He turned his back on me and moved away from me, probably to find Tanya and go screw her.

I felt a dull ache in my chest and my face lost it's redness. Was I really as bad as he said, did my being here really insult him that much? I thought we had been getting on so well for the past few days. Maybe he was right, maybe I had tarted myself up, had I? I didn't know anymore.

I walked into Tanya's small kitchen and reached into the ice box on the ground. I picked up a bottle of vodka. There was plastic cups on the counter and I poured a bit in. I topped the rest up with the coke that was on the counter beside it. I'd never drank before but then again I hadn't done a lot of things. I might as well start now.

It tasted horrible. I had to struggle the bitter tasting mixture down. In films and books people drank to get rid of their problems, even if only for a small while. That's what I needed right now, I needed to block out all the things he said to me, forget how they hurt me.

Five drinks later and content of coke had gone down and the vodka measurement had gone up. My head was reeling and my legs felt heavy and strange. I made my way back into the main room, glass in hand, and tripped onto the dance floor. I passed Tanya who threw me a superior look and smirked. I spotted Alice and Rose dancing along to the music, laughing and smiling.

"Hey you guys!" My voice sounded weird. I wrapped my free arm around Alice and giggled, why was I acting so different. Normally I wasn't a very touchy feely person.

"Bella, have you been drinking?" Alice asked her eyebrow raised.

"J-just a little teeny weeny bit." I said indicating the amount with my fingers. Rosalie sighted and took my cup taking a sip out of it before coughing loudly.

"Bella this is pure vodka," she stated.

"Oopsy, mustn't have added the coke, silly me!" I giggled, really this was all just so funny!

"I think she should go home," said a voice from behind me. I swirled around to find Tanya's smug smile in my face. "I don't want anyone here who is really drunk, if the cops show up we could get in a lot of trouble." Yeah, yeah sure, she just wanted me to leave. There were plenty of other people here who were even more severely intoxicated than me.

"Come on Bella, I'll take you home." Alice said grabbing her car keys out of her purse.

"But Alice!" I whined childishly.

"No buts Bella!" Rosalie said curtly steering me towards the door. Suddenly I really needed to pee, I'd drank loads but hadn't gone to the bathroom all evening.

"I need to go to the toilet first, one sec." Rose nodded her consent and went over to Emmett to tell him we were leaving. When I was done in the bathroom I walked back out onto the dance floor. Tanya and Edward were in front of me dancing and I felt numb. His hands were on her ass and hers were wrapped around his neck and in his hair. I tried to saunter past them casually but before I had fully passed them a five inch silver stiletto reached back and I tripped over it.

I could feel my face nearing the floor and then suddenly everything went black.

**A.N. I'm presuming you can get a cover for the top of the m3 so that when it's raining you can still drive. I'm certainly no car expert so I hope that you'll forgive me if i'm wrong. Also for anyone who didn't know what it means, langers means completely drunk, it's and irish thing, sorry! **

**  
Thanks again to everyone who has reviewd, story alerted or favorited this story, I really appreciate it! Leave me a review if you want to know anything or have and suggestions or comments. Ye all rock!**

**Sorry about the delay in posting, I was half way through the chapter when my parents confiscated my laptop so posting was delayed, sorry! Next chapter should be up soon though!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Playlist:**

**1. Stay - Shakespere's Sister**

**2. Without You - Mitch Hansen Band**

**3. Viva la Vida - Coldplay**

**4. As You Listen - Liam Lawton**

**5. Vertigo - U2**

**6. Come What May - Moulin Rouge**

**7. Let it Rock - Kevin Rudolf ft. Little Wayne**

I woke to the sound of a large snore. I prised my eyes open and winced at the throbbing in my head. I felt like someone had hit me over the head repeatedly with a shovel. My throat felt like sandpaper and my limbs felt stiff. I looked around the room and saw Edward sitting on the ground leaning against the wall fast asleep. He kept snoring every couple of seconds. I giggled quietly to myself, the great Edward Cullen snored.

I tried to sit up and as I did so I could taste vomit coming up my throat. I leaped out of the bed and made a dash for the en suite, just in time.

"You, okay?" Edward asked as finished throwing up the entire contents of my stomach. I was about to reassure him that I was okay when I foggily remembered for some unknown reason I was mad at him. Slowly it came back to me. The look of pure disgust he had directed at me, his opinions of me.

"What do you care?" I asked trying to sound menacing which was pretty hard considering I had just had my head down the toilet.

"Well, you fell last night and hit your head, so Alice asked would I mind making sure you didn't vomit in you sleep and die." he replied his eyes darkening. "You were drunk and acting like a complete and utter moron!" he said folding his arms across his chest. I winced. Yeah I guess I had behaved like a complete and utter idiot.

He was still wearing the shirt and jeans he had been wearing last night but the shirt was crumpled. I looked down at my dress, it was all hiked up and there was a bit more cleavage on display then the dress normally showed. I yanked it down and then pulled up the neckline an inch or two my face flooding with color.

"Don't bother thanking me then," he sneered as he left the room. I sighed. It was probably just as well he left, my head was not the only thing that ached right now, so did my heart. The things he had said about me last night still hurt and he had proved once again this morning that he didn't even care about me in the slightest. He had only watched over me as a favor to Alice.

I leaned over the sink resting my hands on it and looked into the mirror. My hair which had been curly last night now was just frizzy and bushy. I was paler than usual with bit dark circles under my eyes, and to top of the classic look of a person suffering form the hangover from hell, I had a huge raised bump over my left eye. It was purple already and as the day wore on I was sure it would get worse.

I rinsed my face and brushed my teeth before attempting to tackle the bruise with some make-up. I applied it carefully so as not to hurt myself but it still did. When I was done I realized the make-up had no hop of covering this monster so I rubbed it off.

I pulled on my jeans, trainers and long sleeved t-shirt. Before knocking on Alice's door.

"Come in," she said chirpily, God she really was an extremely morning person. I opened the door and looked over at Alice. She was sitting up in her bed reading Vogue but Jasper was also in the room with her asleep, shirtless I might add, across her stomach.

"U-um, s-sorry. I didn't mean to disturb." I apologized staring at the ground.

"What's there to be sorry about?" Alice asked. She threw the magazine on the floor. "Jasper, Jazz, wake up!" She said shaking him roughly on the shoulder.

"W-what? Ugh..." He said groggily as he raised his head sleepily, looking up at Alice with a confused expression on his face.

"Bella and I need to talk about something, now get." She said shoving him playfully .on the arm. Getting up out of the bed with a yawn he slowly made his way out of the room giving me a nod while yawning. Thankfully he was wearing pajama pants, even if they were hanging a bit too low on his waist.

"Now, there's something I want to talk to you about." Alice said as the door closed with a bang. She tapped the bed signaling for me to sit down next to her. "What happened to you last night! Had you ever had a drink before?" I shook my head.

"No, can you imagine how Charlie would have reacted if he had come home from the station to find me swigging out of a can of beer!" Alice giggled politely before continuing on with her spainish inquisition style interrogation.

"Did something happen that would've made you want to drink?" She asked, her tone insinuating that she knew something. I looked up at her trying to keep my face blank. "Edward told me that he said some pretty mean things to you." She stated matter of factly.

"Oh." I answered after a minute. I hadn't thought he would've told his sister what he'd said about someone she was friends with. "Yeah, they were kind of mean, well I'd b-better g-go." I said struggling to get up of Alice's extremely comfy bed.

"Bella, sit down." She said gripping my arm, "You blacked out last night, you hit the floor pretty hard. Emmett said he thought he saw someone put out their foot to trip you." She looked at me suggestively. "Tanya," she stated while tapping her nails on the duvet beside her.

"What happened after I blacked out?" I asked wincing at what I was about to hear.

"Well, Edward almost had a mini panic attack!" I raised my eyebrows skeptically. "No, I swear he did. He was all like," she put up her fingers to do air quotes, " ' Quick, we have to put her in recovery position, she's drank a lot she could throw up and choke! ' I thought he was going to attempt CPR on you or something, seriously!"

"Edward was w-worried about me!" I state shocked. After what he'd said about me earlier in the night I hadn't thought he would've cared if I tripped out of a seven storey window rather than Tanya's foot.

"I volunteered to stay in you room last night to make sure you were okay but Edward insisted that he didn't mind doing it." Suddenly she looked very concerned, "I know it sounds like he was the only one worrying but the rest of us were freaking out too! We didn't want to tell Carlisle what happened in case he decided that it was his duty to inform Charlie so Emmett looked up stuff on the internet on what to do but it was all pretty basic." I smiled at her, it was nice to know that they cared enough about me to be worried.

"Thanks Al. I don't know why I was such an idiot last night. I'm sorry." I smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry about it Bella. The first time I drank I was when Jasper and I were fourteen and he'd just come to live with us and he'd brought a bottle of vodka with him. I got completely drunk and Carlisle had walked in, needless to say when Esme found out she grounded me for ages! Jazz got of the hook because she said he didn't know better yet, he'd been in a lot of rough foster homes. Needless to say he lorded the fact that he got off completely for weeks." She laughed brightly and I got up.

"Be ready to leave for school, in a half hour!" Alice chirped as I headed out of the door and back down to my room. Thank God its Friday.

**A.N. I just want to say thank you to all the people who review every chapter, it means a lot. It's not difficult to write wether you like it or not, if you want it updated sooner, you find a mistake, to ask a question or suggest something. I really appreciate every piece of feedback I get, so please just drop me a line.**

**Also, I want to apoloogise for the lack of updates, my laptop charger broke and I had to get it fixed, then I got in trouble at home so my parents took my computer off of me. I know that this is very short but I wanted to get a chapter out asap, expect a longer update sometime this week.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Playlist:**

**1. Clair de Lune - Debussy**

**2. Watchman's Song - Grieg**

**3. Eine Kleine Nacht Musik - Mozart**

**4. Tristan und Isolde - Tchaikovsky**

**5. Romeo and Juliet - Wagner**

**6. Song Without Words - Felix Mendelssohn**

**7. Gigue from Suite in D minor HWV 437 - George Frederic Handel**

**From now on the playlist is going to have a theme, as you can see this week's theme was classical. I've always liked classical music when I'm writing as sometimes if there are words in a song it can become distracting. Also, if anyone is interested in submitting a playlist for this story feel free. You could do your favourite songs or ones you think relate to this story or just to the Twilight Saga in general. All of the playlists I receive will be featured at some point in this story.**

I self-consciously covered my bruised eye with my hand as I sat in the library once again waiting for Edward Cullen. Today's session was going to be awkward going on the drive to school. Alice had insisted that I drive in Edward's car with him and that her, Jasper and Emmett went with Rosalie in the M3. I think she thought we would be able to sort out whatever it was that had bothered Edward that morning.

Of course, Alice was wrong. When I got into the car Edward had given me a look that one would give to something they had just scraped off their shoe on the grass.

"Am, Alice said I should go with you. There was no room in the M3." I explained, buckling my belt.

"Fine." One word that was all I got, one word. I guess I half deserved it, I had been rude to him too yesterday. We drove in silence and Edward didn't even nod to me before walking away, probably to go find Tanya and suck face before class, ugh.

People walked past me in the library, no one noticing me. Just one girl sitting on her own. Not that hard to forget about. It felt like if I wasn't here no one would be bothered.

I sat there all of lunch. On my own. Edward Cullen never came. I didn't have any classes with Alice that evening so I couldn't ask her if she would ride in the Volvo with Edward and Rosalie give me a lift home. I looked around for her but she proved to be surprisingly hard to find.

Dejectedly, after a long day at school I walked to the car park. The sun was shining for the first time in a long time causing the cars to glimmer and the puddles on the ground to sparkle. The weather contrasted nicely with my dark mood.

I walked over to the spot to where Edward had parked his car earlier. It was gone. He'd known he was to bring me home. Alice had told him last night and had reminded him again before school this morning. The bastard had purposely left me here. I took out my cell phone, it would be embarrassing to be collected in the police car but it was better than having to walk the seven miles back to my house. No battery, that's what the screen said when I tried to turn it on before weakly flickering off again. Crap, I cursed in my head before turning slowly out of the car park. At this stage the school car park was pretty empty except for a couple of Tanya's cheerleading harpies.

Seven miles, I thought to myself as I pulled my school bag onto my two shoulders rather that just one. I'd walked that before, but not with a school bag full of books on my back. Clouds began to roll across the sky and it grew darker, rain began to drizzle. Perfect. The roads were quiet, there wasn't ever much traffic around here except for when school ended or began. The people of Forks generally didn't have any other need to drive the road that led up towards the school unless it was their destination.

A car slowed down, and my heart shot into my mouth. I tried to hurry up my steps but the car sped up slightly. I remembered everything Charlie had said about kidnapping and how to always stay safe.

Number One: Have your cell phone with you. No good if it's got no battery, damn.

Number Two: Let someone know what time you'll be back. Charlie would think I was at Alice's and Alice would think I was at home with Charlie.

Number Three: Run. Now that I could do.

I looked back it was a black car complete with tinted windows. I couldn't see the face of the person and judge them friend or foe. I ran as hard and as fast as I could. But a teenage girl is no match for a car and it caught up with me in no time.

Then the worst thing that could possibly have happened happened. I tripped. I don't know what I fell over, could of been a twig, a stone or even just my own two feet, but the base of the matter is I fell.

I hit the ground hard, my elbows taking the brunt of the fall, I yelped loudly. Pity there was no one around but the very person in the car who I had been running to try and escape. The car pulled over and the engine stopped. I tried to stand up but my feet felt like they were tied to cement blocks, I couldn't move.

Then, I heard a noise, a car engine coming up the road. My heart rose and sunk simultaneously in my chest. Was it someone coming to rescue me or was it an affiliate of the person in the car. It rounded the bend, it was a shiny silver Volvo, Edward. An engine revved in the black car and the driver sped off, just as Edward pulled up.

"Are you okay?" he questioned. "Who was that? Why are you on the ground?" he asked jogging over to me, he crouched down beside me and grabbed my hands to pull me up into a sitting position.

"I-I'm fine." I stuttered stupidly, tears springing to my eyes.

"Who was that? Were they following you?" He asked me staring into my eyes seriously.

"I d-don't k-know who it w-was. They were following me and I ran, then I tripped. Then you came along."

"So you're okay? Do you want me to drive you to the hospital?" Gently he tugged the sleeves of my hoodie up to inspect my scratched elbows.

"I'm fine, can you just take me home." Then I began to sob. I know pathetic. I was scared and here was Edward Cullen acting all Mr. Nice when it was him whose fault it was that I was even in the situation to begin with. If he hadn't come I don't know what would've happened but I don't think it would've been good.

And then, out of no where. Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled my head in close to his chest. He hugged me hard. My breathing hitched slightly. It felt so good to be touching him. Our bodies pressed up against one another and it was like we were the only two people in the world.

Suddenly I forgot it was raining, I forgot about the fact that some stranger had just followed me, heck I even forgot my name for a minute. I wrapped my arms around him too and we just sat there like that for awhile just comforting each other.

_A.N. I want to thank everyone who has stuck with this story; I know that updates haven't been as frequent as they once were. My school was doing our musical and I was heavily involved and I wasn't at home a lot. I had to be over at the school at six every evening and didn't get home till eleven and I'd be too tired to update. On the days after the play I had work and I was given a lot of hours on account of missing so many leading up to and during the show. But the good news is I'm on my Easter holidays soon and I'm going to the USA, can't wait. I'll be bringing my laptop so I will hopefully get a lot of writing done then. _

_ I was also running dry on ideas for this story but I think I've got back on track to where I had wanted it to go. Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story, I've been shocked with the response and want to say how much every review means. It's nice to know that some people like my work. No one knows that I write fan fiction or write in general so it's nice to get some feedback. Is anyone else in the same boat?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Playlist:**

**This chapter's theme is film and television music, enjoy.**

**1. Hedwig's Theme - John Williams - Harry Potter**

**2. The Lion and the Lamb - Carter Burwell - Twilight**

**3. Gabriel's Oboe - Ennio Morricone - The Mission**

**4. One Day - Hans Zimmer - Pirates of The Caribbean At Worlds End**

**5. Tennessee - Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbour**

**6. Steps of the Met - The Transcenders - Gossip Girl**

**7. Who Are They - Carter Burwell - Twilight**

Edward released me slowly from his embrace and looked at me. Our eyes met and we just looked at each other for a minute. The air between us hummed with something unnameable. He broke away his gaze first and looked down at the ground embarrassed.

"W-W-Well, I-I'm sorry I didn't wait for you after school." Edward stuttered. Yes, you heard me right, the mighty Edward Cullen stuttered!

"It's okay," I lied. Faking a smile at him. We got into his car in silence and drove to my house both of us contemplating over what had just happened. Who was the person in the black car? Why had they been following me. I shivered at the thought of what would have happened if Edward hadn't turned back to get me.

"Make sure you tell you Dad when you get home that someone was following you." Edward said breaking the silence. He glanced at me to gauge my reaction to his order before fixing his eyes back on the road.

"I don't think I should. He'll just worry, he worries too much as it is." I explained with a shake of my head..

"He's right to too! You don't know who that was, it could have been anyone!" Edward bellowed, his voice like thunder in the previously silent car.

"I don't know. It might just have been someone slowing down to offer me a lift. I could be over reacting." I said trying to placate his anger.

"Well if you won't tell him I will. You mightn't car what happens to you but some people do." he said just as angrily as before, I was obviously fighting a losing battle here.

"Fine, do what ever you want then." I said trying to sound blasé and as if I couldn't care less.

When we pulled up into Charlie's front yard, the police cruiser was not parked in it's familiar place.

"Charlie must have got delayed at the station," I said unbuckling my belt and getting out of the car. "Bye and thanks for everything." I told Edward with a small smile.

"You're not getting off that easy. I'm coming in with you and I'm going to wait here until he gets back from work then. I nodded my okay. I tried to act like it was as though I was humouring him but in reality I was ecstatic to have him staying with me until Charlie came. My heart sunk in my chest every time I thought about the black car. What whoever was driving it knew where I lived and was waiting for an opportunity when I was alone to come back. I paled at the thought.

Inside the house was quiet and still. Edward closed the door behind him locking it with the key that I had used to open it. A red light glowed on house phone signalling a new message. I hit the play button and waited for it to begin.

"Hey Bells, I tried to call you on your mobile but it cut straight to voicemail. There's an issue in Seattle and they're calling in all the police forces and I've got to go. I should be back Sunday. I'll call you on tomorrow to make sure everything's okay. Sorry about this, see you soon." The phone beeped. The message was over.

A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. I was going to be alone for over twenty four hours. I could be kidnapped and no one would even know I had gone for over twenty-four hours, who knows how far someone could go in twenty four hours.

"Are you okay Bella, you want to sit down?" Edward asked reaching over and lightly taking hold of my arm. I nodded absently as he steered me into the kitchen before pulling out a chair and gently pushing me down on it. "I heard what Charlie said. Are you going to be okay at home alone after… y'know."

"I g-guess I'll b-be fine." I said biting a hangnail on my thumb.

"I'll stay with you if you want." I snapped my head up and looked at him. His green eyes were looking pleadingly into mine. I debated by answer for a second, he was only offering out of pity but on the other hand, I knew if he was here I'd feel a lot safer.

"Okay." I said glancing back down at my lap. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He flashed me his trademark crooked smile. He offered me his hand and I took it, once I was standing up I looked around the kitchen, what were we supposed to do for the evening. I desperately wanted to ask why he hadn't shown up at lunch and why he didn't wait for me after school. But I decided against it, I knew he had a temper after earlier this morning and I didn't want to make him angry and leave. I didn't want to be alone.

"You hungry?" I asked going over to the sink and washing my hands before grabbing a hair tie off my wrist and tying my hair back in a low pony tail.

"Yeah, starving." he said leaning against the table.

"Do you eat lasagne?" I said opening the fridge to inspect it's contents. I pulled out some tomatoes, onions and peppers.

"Yeah, you cook?" he asked sceptically raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, I've to cook for my Dad everyday he can hardly fry and egg." I said laughing.

"I'm the same. But I can make toast too." he laughed jokingly. "Fancy teaching me how to make lasagne?" I smiled and pulled out two chopping boards. I laid them on the counter before taking out two knives. I handed one to Edward before putting a pepper on the board.

"Okay, first of all you've got to cut out the stem thing at the top." I pointed to the green piece and inserted the knife in beside it. Slowly I cut around it before pulling it out and laying it beside the pepper. I watched as Edward awkwardly brandished the knife and with the precision of a surgeon carefully cut around the stem.

"That alright?" He said holding up the stem.

"Yeah, that's it. Now next we chop it in half and scrape out the seeds." We passed the next half hour preparing the meal only talking when I showed him what to do next. Closing the oven door I got two glasses of water and sat down at the table. I pushed one of them across the table to Edward. He drank a bit before looking thoughtfully at the table.

"You want to play a game while we're waiting?" He asked not quite meeting my eyes.

"Sure, what is it?" What did he mean by 'a game'?

"Twenty questions. You ask the first question, we both answer it. Then I ask one and we both answer it. We stay going until one of us refuses to answer a question." I thought for a minute. I could see how this whole thing was going to play out, he would ask really embarrassing questions that I would have to answer because I'd want to know what his answer would be. When I eventually gave up I'd be wishing for the ground to open and to swallow me up.

"Okay, got one. What's you're full name?" I asked, he paused for a second before answering.

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. You?"

"Wait, Masen?" I asked, why had he two surnames?

"When I was adopted, my surname changed to Cullen but on any official documents it's Masen Cullen." He explained staring at the table. I'd forgotten he'd been adopted when he was younger.

"Isabella Marie Swan." I said, I hadn't meant to bring up his adoption. I had never heard him speak about it before, the only reason I knew at all was from when we were in elementary school together and we were told to draw family trees, he wrote down his real parents names rather than Carlisle's and Esme's. The family tree pictures had hung on the wall for the entire year.

"My turn now. Did you ever have a pet?" I giggled to myself, here I was expecting evil questions and this was the sort he'd had in mind. I might be mistaken but could Edward Cullen possibly be trying to get to know me?

"I had a rabbit once called Floppy. But it got ate by a dog."

"Sorry." Edward struggled to keep a straight face.

"It was really horrible at the time but now it just seems kind of funny." I giggled quietly.

"I'd a dog named Hercules. He was old, even when I was small. He was my mothers from when she was a teenager. He was the best dog in the world." A flicker of sadness passes threw his eye.

"What happened to him?" I asked, "Did he die naturally?"

"No. My father strangled him." His face twisted in resentment.

"W-What!?" I spluttered. Edward simply nodded his head angrily.

"Yeah, he was an angry man. He did it the same day that he…" Edward's face grew red and he started to tap his leg, frustrated. "Never mind."

"What's you're favourite subject in school?" I asked trying to shift the conversation away from this obviously painful subject.

"Music. I love to play the piano. Esme thought me when I first moved in with them." My plan had worked, he looked a small bit more at ease.

"I didn't know you played piano. I went for lessons when I was small but I sucked so I begged my mom to let me quit, after about six months she let me give it up. I half regret it now though."

"What about you? What's your favourite?" Edward prompted.

"I like history, I think it's fascinating, all these different times building up to today." I said trying not to let my enthusiasm for the subject go into overdrive.

"I never thought of it like that. It's cool when you put it like that though. My go, tell me one of your hobbies."

"I love to read. There's something amazing about getting lost in a world completely different from your own. What about you?"

"I like to read too." A goofy smile came across his face and I smiled back, one book nerd to another. The moment of course was ruined by the cooking timer beeping in the back round.

"I'll go get that, you stay where you are." I bent over and opened the oven the lasagne was ready. I turned around to grab the oven mitts off the counter only to find Edward staring at my ass.

"Am-am, ugh…" His face turned puce and he stood up. "I need to go to the bathroom, back in a minute." Was he really just checking me out? Oh my God. I guess life is full of surprises.

_A.N. I got this chapter out in record time, in just over twenty four hours! Woo! I've been getting an amazing response to this story so far and I just want to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. All of you are amazing. Also, I've decided to review every story I read from now on, I feel it's only fair to offer an opinion to someone who has put the time and effort into a piece of work . Let me know if you have a story that you'd like me to read or if you could recommend me another fan fiction._


	10. Chapter 10

_A.N. I'm writing this authors note to say that I plan on updating this story sometime over the next week, I was very busy this week because I have a piano exam coming up and have been practicing like a demon! I have the first half written but I want to finish it and edit it before I post it. Also, if anyone wants a beta, please pm me. I like to read fanfics so getting the edited chapter back to you asap is not a problem! I have also just made a blog! It's address is posted in my profile as I can't post links for other sites in the story.  
_

_Please check it out, if you have a blog too, let me know in a review and I'll look it up! I've just literally this second made the first post so I doubt if it has even been seen by one person yet! So please check it out and let me know what you think, the second post should be up within the next half hour! _

_Also I just want to say a huge thanks to everyone who has read this story so far and heres some stats on the numbers..._

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__Views 6,257  
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_Alerts 112_

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_Reviews 143_

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_You guys rock!!!  
_


	11. Chapter 11

**Playlist:**

**1. Somebody to Love - Queen**

**2. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen**

**3. Killer Queen - Queen**

**4. Seven Seas of Rhy - Queen**

**5. Don't Stop Me Now - Queen**

**5. Another One Bites the Dust - Queen**

**6. I Want it All - Queen**

**7. I Want to Break Free - Queen**

**As you can see this chapter's theme is Queen. Queen are brilliant, full stop.**

After dinner, we sat at the table and an awkward silence fell in. The dishes were washed, the kitchen clean. There was nothing to busy ourselves with.

"So, what do you want to do now?" I asked, Edward asked scratching behind his ear.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" He suggested, anything was better than sitting at this table making awkward conversation. He didn't quite meet my eye, I guess he must still be embarrassed from earlier. It's not every day Edward, officially the hottest guy in school (Fact; he was voted in as sexiest person in Forks High School last year) is caught checking out Bella Swan's ass.

"Okay I guess, but be warned, there isn't much choice." I warned standing up and leading him into the sitting room.

"There you have it." I pointed to the meagre stack of cases beside the television. Edward crouched down to inspect what was on offer and I knelt down beside him.

"Bella you only have sports films here, I didn't know you were a secret american football fan. Longest Yard, wouldn't have said it was your kind of thing." Edward said smirking sceptically.

"Ha ha, smart ass. There Charlie's, my Dad, he's the sports fan. I'm not a big DVD person. I prefer to watch films in the cinema, if I ever want to watch a film on TV I just rent it." I shrugged me shoulders, he'd been warned. He stood up and stared at the pile of films for a while.

"I've an idea. How about we drive to my house and we can pick up a couple there instead."

"Yeah, but we're taking my car!" I said checking the time on my watch, half six, we shouldn't get caught in much traffic if we left now.

"Fine, but just so you know, it's my turn to drive where ever we go next!" He ran a hand through his hair.

"I just need to run upstairs and grab my jacket," I walking up the stairs. From my bedroom I heard the doorbell ring.

"Will I get that?" Edward shouted upstairs politely.

"Thanks!" I said back pulling on one sleeve of my green jacket. I made my way downstairs and when I reached the bottom I heard a voice I hadn't expected to hear.

"Bella… why is he here?" Jacob Black said. He was standing outside the door his fists clenched at his sides, his dark eyes showing his evident dislike for Edward.

"Jake, I told you I was tutoring him, remember? Mr. Banner made us." I looked over at Edward, he too was glaring back at Jacob with resentment in his eyes.

"Bella and I have plans Cullen, so you better clear out!" Jacob growled at Edward.

"Yeah? Well Bella and I have plans too asshole!" Edward said back, a cold edge evident in his voice.

"Me and Bella are going to the cinema." Jake said with a smug, snide smile.

"Bella and _I_," Edward corrected sarcastically, "Were just going to my house to get a film to watch."

"Am… w-why don't we do something together?" I suggested meekly, already knowing the answer.

"NO." Came the resounding response.

"Why can't we all just get along, let what happened in the past stay there…" I trailed off when I saw the murderous looks both boys were shooting me

"It's okay, Bella, I don't mind leaving." Jacob said, storming out.

"Yeah. You don't have a fucking clue, do you?" Edward said walking out and slamming the door behind him. I heard the two cars pull out of the driveway and felt my heart sink. What had I said? I knew that both of the boys hated each other, but why?

I know the whole think with burning out Quil's car on the reservation and stuff but why was Edward so upset with Jacob? Jake had never gone to the same school as Edward or me so I'd didn't even see how they knew each other.

The house was silent as I sloped back into the kitchen. Outside the night was dark, there was no moon and the porch light cast shadows on the grass from the trees. I sighed and went upstairs to get changed for bed. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I layed it on the bed. Staring at it I sighed, willing it to ring. Edward saying he was just around the corner and he'd be back in a second when Jake was long gone, he hadn't wanted any trouble. But I knew he wouldn't ring. Or maybe Jacob would ring, apologizing for being such a ass and offer to pick me up and drive us over to Edward's house so they could apologize and become friends. Both sounded ridiculous even to me.

I lay in my bed staring at the faded glow in the dark stars on my ceiling waiting for sleep to come. I counted sheep and finally I felt the familiar creeps of exhaustion climb up my body and lull my mind into a state of blankness. Somewhere distant I heard a car pull up. Then a door slam. Another car pulled up. Another door slam. I shot up into a sitting position on the bed, remembering the black car from earlier with a feeling of dread in my stomach. Was the mysterious driver back, this time bringing a friend with him. I heard raised voices. Who were these people and what did they want with me. I desperately wanted to look out the window but I was frozen in place. My fists clenching the sheets. Yet another car door slam, but this time followed by the rev of an engine.

CRACK

I gasped, someone was climbing the old tree that was outside my bedroom window. My window was unlocked. Whoever it was outside could easily scale the tree and climb in through the window. I scrambled to the bottom of the bed. Pulling back the curtains, terrified hoping the key for the window was resting on the sill. Opening the curtains, I screamed. There was a face outside.

I covered my mouth with my hand. It was Edward Cullen.

_A.N. I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so long, but I had exams… thanks to kiwi chick for being understanding… exams suck! I got my holidays last Friday and decided to update ASAP, hence the short chapter but I'll try and get another up tomorrow as I've got no plans!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Playlist:**

**Shake It – Metro Station**

**Teenage Werewolf – The Remus Lupins**

**Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry**

**Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colby Callait**

**Set Fire to the Third Bar – Snow Patrol**

**Should've Said No – Taylor Swift**

**In Too Deep – Sum 41**

"Bella let me in." Edward said tapping on the glass with his knuckles. He had a dark bruise starting to form on his cheek. I reached forward and pushed up the window for him.

"W-w-what are y-you doing h-here?" I said still trembling. "What were you doing outside my house?" My confidence was growing thanks to the flood of red hot anger that was now pulsing its way through my veins. "Did you think it would be a nice piece of payback to come back here in the middle of the night and try to give me heart attack? You do know who I thought it was outside there… don't you? I thought it was that car from earlier but no it was-" He cut me off grabbing my forearm so tight that it hurt.

"Bella, that's exactly who it was." His eyes were serious.

"W-what do you mean?" I asked, my stomach plunging in the mere second it had taken him to say that.

"I was sitting in my car around the corner-" Edward started.

"What do you mean you were "sitting in your car around the corner"?" I glared at him.

"Never mind." He said avoiding my gaze, "And then the black car from earlier drive past and pull up outside your house. I drove back down here as quick as I could and he had just gotten out of his car."

"Did you see who it was?" I asked, Edward was pale and slightly sweaty.

"No, they had a hat on and a scarf around their face. Whoever it was didn't want anyone to know who it was. But I got the car's registration plate. Have you a pen? I'll write it down." I nodded and tried to stand up but I was anchored to Edward by his strong grip on my arm. "Ugh sorry," he said releasing his hand and staring intently at the bed. I handed him a blue ballpoint pen and a small stack of yellow post its. He wrote down the reg before sticking it lightly on the window.

"So what happened then?" I probed.

"Well when he saw me get out of the car he stopped and told me to go away, that this was none of business. I stayed going over to him and then he lunged at me and punched me, then I punched him. Then he just got in his car and drove off. Bella, I don't think that's the last we're going to be seeing of him." Edward finished, holding onto my arm again, but this time more lightly.

"I know. What were you doing hanging around here anyway?" I asked, I wasn't planning on leaving this go anytime soon.

"Well," he said looking embarrassed, "I promised you that I'd stay here tonight didn't I? I figured you didn't want me here after earlier and I guess I didn't really want to hang around either. I decided it was the next best thing to do, guess I was right." I shuddered thinking about what could have happened if Edward hadn't come. I wasn't the sort who loved being the damsel in distress saved by the big strong knight, but I was no match for whoever this guy was.

"Thanks." I said quietly, scrunching up and smoothing over a piece of the duvet. "Will I get you some painkillers for that?" I asked, anxious to help my rescuer.

"That'd be great. My head hurts." Edward said releasing my hand once again so I could leave the room. He closed his eyes and lid down on the bed placing one hand on his forehead. I ran as quickly as I could, miraculously without tripping over anything, I picked up the painkillers for Edward and a bag of frozen peas. When I came back he was lying in the same position on the bed as I had left him.

"Here." I said giving the pills and carefully laying the icepack on his forehead.

"Thanks," he said after he had swallowed them, "that feels really good." He murmured gesturing lightly to the peas on his head. He patted the bed next to him and I sat down. The silence, though deafening, was comfortable.

_A.N. I'm getting kind of stuck for ideas in this story hence this chapter is a little shorter than usual. I promise the next one will be a little bit longer, but even though it's the summer holiday's things are still a little bit crazy._

_**Also, please check out my new Darkest Powers story, The Reckoning. It's a fic about what I think will happen in the third Darkest Powers book. If you haven't read them yet, you should really check them out! You can read a preview of the first 10 chapters of the 1st and 2nd book in the series if you google them. The first is called the The Summoning, then The Awakening. They're really good! They're wrote by Kelley Armstrong and I know I'm hooked! I'd reccommend them to any Twilight Fan! XXX**  
_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Unforch for me, I don't own Twilight, sob.**

**Playlist:**

**Metro Station – Seventeen Forever**

**3Oh3! – Don't Trust Me**

**Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80's **

**The Stranglers – Golden Brown**

**Siouxsie & the Banshees – Happy House**

**Tokio Hotel – Ready, Set, Go**

**All American Rejects – I Wanna**

I woke with my head wedged in Edward's armpit. I sat up quickly and looked at him, glad that I hadn't woke him. The bruise from where he'd been hit last night had darkened considerably and looked rather painful. I couldn't help but notice how different he looked when he was asleep. Gone was the tough guy image, replaced by a young and innocent face. I'd often read in books how people look different when they were asleep, but to be honest, I'd always thought it was a load of bull. How wrong I was, I noted as I looked at Edward. His hair was falling into his face and his mouth was slightly open. And for some reason, I found my self fighting the urge to place my lips on his.

I pulled back the covers carefully so as not to wake him and crept out of bed grabbing my dressing gown off the hanger on my door. The stairs creaked loudly as I walked down it, something I'd never noticed before. It's funny how when you have to be quiet you always end up making more noise then you'd thought possible. Opening the fridge I surveyed its contents grabbing a packet of sausages from the bottom shelf. I yawned as I added some oil to the pan and let it heat. I wanted to cook Edward breakfast as a thank you for last night.

Last night we'd talked for hours, mostly about nothing, just everyday things. He told me about this party he'd went to when he'd first started high school and he'd gotten drunk out of his head and had jumped in the icy cold pool in the neighbours house fully dressed. When I'd asked why, he said Emmett had dared him to. We talked about teachers we'd had in Elementary and Middle school. We'd laughed about how every year Carlisle begged Edward to run for student body president. But the one topic we'd avoided was what had happened earlier that night. It had hung in the air lie a bad smell. Edward didn't apologize for storming out, and I didn't apologize about forgetting I'd had other plans that evening.

I placed the sausages in the pan careful to avoid the spitting fat before pouring two glasses of orange juice and setting them down on the table along with plates and cutlery. I was just popping the bread into the toaster when I heard someone.

"Hey," Edward said; I jumped; I hadn't heard him come downstairs. "It's only me." He was still wearing the crumpled shirt he'd wore in bed last night unlike me who'd already changed for bed when he'd come back. "Something smells good." I nodded.

"I made sausages." I said, stating the obvious pointing the fork I'd been using to turn them towards the pan. Walking over he examined them.

"I think these are about done." He said smiling at me. I looked over myself; they were seconds away from being classed at burnt. I quickly took them off the heat and went over to the table. I put them on our plates and laid the frying pan back into the sink.

"You want some coffee?" I said.

"Yeah, thanks." I took two mugs out of the press as he sat down. The kettle boiled and I poured them, grabbing the toast out of the toaster I set them both down on the table. Edward took the mug I'd offered him and drank deeply from it.

"No sugar or milk?" I asked reaching for the carton of milk beside me before adding a considerable amount to my own.

"Nah, not for me. I like mine to have a bit of a kick. It helps me wake up." He said smirking and running his hands through his unruly bronze hair. I couldn't help but notice how the sun coming in through the window caught it. God I wanted to run my hands through it.

"You didn't have to make all this for me." Edward said picking up his fork.

"I know. I just felt bad about last night. You know things with Jacob and stuff. You don't have to tell me or anything, but what happened with you guys?" I asked unsure of whether this over stepped the boundaries of our newly formed treaty. Sighing, he took a deep breath before starting the story.

"I've told you about how my parent's weren't very good people, right?" Edward said, I nodded and he continued. "Well you see, Carlisle was my father's doctor. That's how they met. My father was a hard core drug addict. I was born in Chicago but when I was seven we moved down to Seattle. One day my parent's were due to meet up with the guy who gave them their drugs. When they were on their way back they pulled into a lay-by to inject then stayed driving. They crashed into another car. Somehow they were fine but the driver of the other car wasn't. Jacob's mother died because of them." I covered my mouth with my hand, hardly believing the story.

"When the cops came they realised my parent's were addicts and I was taken off of them and put into the system. I wasn't there long though, Carlisle and Esme found out and decided to adopt me. My parent's signed away all their rights to me and I officially became a Cullen. Last year though, I was down at a party in La Push with some friends and Jacob was there. I don't know how he knew who I was, maybe someone told him, his father? I don't know but he came at me and punched me. He just wouldn't understand that I wasn't even there, it wasn't my fault. I couldn't just stand there and take it so I hit him back harder. Ever since then we've hated each other." I reached over and covered his hand with mine. He'd been through so much. I know my child hood hadn't been easy; by parents divorced when I was young and my Mom was a bit of a flake, though a lovable one, but mine was nothing compared to his.

"Thanks for telling me." I said, I didn't know what else to say. "I'm sorry that happened to you." He intertwined his fingers with mine and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Thanks for listening."

**Author's Note: Okay, first off, I want to apologize for the hiatus from this story. I know I hate it when the author of a story I'm reading suddenly stops posting. It's a total pain in the ass. Lately I've suffered from extreme writer's block in the story and had no clue what to write. I was also focusing on two fic's I am writing for the Darkest Powers Series. I'm sorry to all the people who've left reviews asking me to update and I hope y'all forgive me. **

**Let me know what everybody thinks of this chapter! I know it didn't exactly end on a cliff hanger, but I thought the story needed some more Edward/Bella fluff! Check out some of my other stories too, okay? Jennifer**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Playlist: **

**The Wind Blows – All American Rejects**

**Lily Allen – It's Not Fair**

**Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way**

**Richard Marx – Hazard**

**Greenday – 21 Guns**

**The Last Goodnight – Pictures of You**

**Taylor Swift – Should've Said No**

I sat in Edwards's car, my hands gripping the black leather seats as we sped down the highway.

"You want to slow down a bit?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Bella, Bella, Bella." He said shaking his head. He looked over at me. "When are you ever going to learn that I drive at a speed I can handle?" He continued to look at me.

"Whatever, eyes back on the road buddy." Doing as he was told Edward turned his focus back to the road.

"We're almost there anyway." He said as we turned into a small road. He slowed down as the car manoeuvred it's was over the hard packed dirt beneath the tyres.

"Is this it?" I asked once we'd pulled up. We had pulled up into a small, deserted dirt car park.

"Do you ever listen?" Edward asked as we got out of the car. "I told you it was a short hike and _then _we'd be there."

"You didn't say hike." I said paling at the thought of injuries to come. "You said stroll."

"Well maybe I stretched the truth a bit!" Edward said with a roll of his eyes while he opened the trunk. He tossed me some hiking boots. "Don't worry. I came prepared." We'd stopped at the Cullen's house after breakfast so that Edward could change his clothes, he must've grabbed the boots then I thought.

"Where did you get these?" I asked checking the tongue of the boots. "They're my size." Edward shrugged.

"Alice has a lot of shoes lying around." He flashed me my favourite crooked grin. "Are you able to put them on or do you want me to help." I blushed as I shook my head. I pulled of my trainers and pushed my feet into the boots, tying them tightly. I stood up. "Are we ready to go or what?" I asked.

"Okay, we start over here." Edward said leading me over towards the wood, in the opposite direction from the trail.

"Whoa! Hang on their one second. We're not going on the trail?" I asked momentarily panicked.

"The trail," Edward scoffed, "Is a load of crap. It takes you no where interesting. While this way on the other hand…" he trailed off suggestively and nudged me lightly in the back, pushing me forward. I sighed, deciding I better trust him, and we walked onwards.

As we walked further into the woods, the denser the trees got together. The sunlight streamed through the leafy canopy. The day was getting warmer, a rare occurrence in Forks, but it was shaded here under the trees.

"It's like the rest of the world doesn't exist." I said looking up at Edward. He smiled.

"Yeah, it really is beautiful." Edward said looking down at me. "Bella, I…" I screamed as I fell to the ground. In less than a second Edward was crouching down by my side.

"Bella! Are you okay?" He said pulling my face up towards his. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Two, Edward. I'm fine. Nothing but my prides hurt." Edward stood up and reached out a hand to help me up. Once we were standing he didn't let my hand go. I looked down at our intertwined fingers.

"I don't want you to fall again." Edward said, smiling heart-breakingly at me. This boy was genuinely going to be the death of me. I wondered if he could hear my heart pounding in my chest. We continued walking through the woods, hand in hand, I lost track of time but I could see the sun shift in the sky, so I knew a couple of hours had passed. I saw some light as opposed to trees in front of us.

"Is that it up there? The place we're heading." I asked gesturing with my free hand to the light up ahead.

"That's it. You're going to love it." Edward said with a smile. We stepped into a small clearing and I gasped. Before us was the most beautiful meadow I had ever seen. The grass was lush and green. Small wild flowers grew in clusters around the edges. It was like a little piece of heaven.

"Edward," I said breathily, "This, this, is j-just…"

"Amazing?" he said smiling as he pulled me into the middle of the field and he sunk to the ground dragging me down with him. Silence descended as we looked around the meadow just enjoying the quiet. Edward leaned back onto the grass and closed his eyes. He was so beautiful. I lay down beside him and closed my eyes too. After a few minutes Edward sat up. I opened my eyes.

Edward looked into my eyes and I didn't look away. Slowly, he leaned forward, inch by inch. He stopped, his lips a whisper from mine.

"Bella," he whispered before gently placing his lips on mine. My stomach flipped and I pressed my own lips lightly back against his own. Sucking on my bottom lip, one of hands came to rest on my waist, the other gently cupping my face. His tounge traced my lips, silently asking for entrance I was only too eager to accept. Our tounges softly wound around eachother and I moved one hand up to rest in his hair. Edward pulled back carefully and looked into my eyes a soft smile on his face.

**Who saw it coming, ha ha! Thanks to all you guys who reviewed and to Sarah-TWILIGHT-4-EVA for her suggestion for this chapter! As always, please review! **


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

Edward's lips pressed soft against mine parting my mouth slightly. His hand reached up to cup my cheek, his thumb rubbing small circular patterns against the skin there. I moved one of my own hands up and placed it on his chest feeling the strong muscles there while my other hand wound itself into his hair. I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip delicately and I opened my mouth to allow him entrance. I heard a quiet moan as his tongue stroked mine and it took me a second to identify the noise as my own Gently, Edward pushed me onto the ground leaving my back resting against the cool grass. He pulled back slightly and looked at me. His lips were parted and slightly swollen, his eyes dark. He had never looked so beautiful to me.

"Bella." He whispered my name as if it were a prayer before leaning over me and placing another rkiss on my lips. Too soon, his mouth moved from mine and I was about to protest when I felt his warm lips land on the soft skin just under my ear. His tongue darted out and he licked the skin there before beginning to trail a line of gentle kisses down along my jaw to the hollow of my throat. I suppressed a moan when he buried his face there inhaling deeply.

"You smell so beautiful. He said, kissing the small hollow. I smiled ant him and he raised his head and smiled back at me with his trade mark crooked grin that I had grown to love so much. He pushed himself up onto his arms to that his face hovered mere inches from my own. I felt myself blush under his unwavering gaze but I could not find it in myself to look away. He laughed and placed a quick kiss on my lips before flopping down on the grass beside me.

"That was my first kiss." I admitted shyly, mentally kicking myself while I wondered why I had just admitted that to him of all people. I'm sure he was able to tell! He laughed happily rolling onto his stomach.

"You're amazing, do you know that?" He said reaching over to cover my hand with his. His hand was warm.

"So are you." I answered intertwining our fingers.

***

The next day at school Edward greeted me by knocking on the window of my truck.

"You getting out?" he asked smiling as he opened the door. I nodded and giggle as he bowed with a flourish as I got out. "At your service miss." I rolled my eyes. He scooped my hand into his and he led me towards the science block for first period biology. People started as we walked past, the girls murmuring and the boys nudging each other. I wonder what we must look like to them. Plain boring old Bella and the school heart-throb/sex god Edward Cullen, a far cry from the perfect match. I was painfully aware of Tanya's glare as Edward and I walked past her but she didn't look for long. Turning on her heel she stormed down the corridor, he many minions following her, no doubt to the girl's bathroom where they all could discuss the latest development and plan when to send the flying monkeys.

"People are staring." I muttered to Edward, trying unsuccessfully to avoid the stares on either side of the corridors by staring at my shoes.

"And?" Edward asked. "If they want a real show I'm sure we could give them one." Edward raised an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes laughing at him.

"I think I'm going to pass on that for now seeing as I would probably get assassinate before you could try anything. I seriously think Jessica Stanley is considering taking me down." It was Edward's turn to roll his eyes now. The door to the biology room was open and Mr. Banner was at the board writing up questions. His back was to us as we sat down. Lauren and Mike came in together chatting loudly and Mr. Banner shouted at them to shut up without turning around. Great, I couldn't help but think, what a wonderful start to the school day.

"Gooks out. Open chapter three. Questions are on the board. Mr. Banner turned and I could not help but gasp. On his cheek was a large dark bruise. It looked painful and fresh. His lip was swollen. I looked over at Edward and noticed that he did not look shocked so much as his suspicious. I watched as his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed.

"Bella…" Edward started his eyes never leaving Banner.

"Mr. Cullen, did I give you permission to talk? Do you want detention?" Edward shook his head. "Didn't thinks so. Ms. Swan, a moment please." Mr. Banner crooked a finger at me and walked outside the door. I pushed my seat back and it scraped loudly on the linoleum floor causing several people in the room to wince.

"Bella, I'm getting a bad feeling off of Banner. Be careful, okay?" he said reaching out to squeeze my hand as I stood up.

"I'll be fine Edward, don't worry. He probably just wants to ask how the tutoring is going." Edwards sighed but nodded and let my hand go.

"Yeah, you're probably right, I have a tendency to overreact." I walked out the door well aware of all the whisper behind me. I didn't care though, well, not as much as I used to. I was happy.

"Miss Swan." Banner started as soon as he had closed the door of the classroom. "How are things progressing with Mr. Cullen?" I swallowed carefully before answering. He must have noticed Edward's and mines recent closeness. But what problem of his was it?

"F-Fine. He should do well in the test if he continues to improve as he's been doing. He really is very smart, he just doesn't put in the work." I explained.

"I'm sure," Banner said with an cool edge in his voice. He looked at me carefully as though studying my face. "Are you feeling okay Bella?" He reached forward and rested his hand on my foreheads. I flinched and resisted the natural urge to take a step backward and out of his reach. "You are looking slightly pale."

"No more so t-than usual." I said faking a smile. He gave a short burst of laughter at my answer.

"Are you sure? I can drive you home if you would like." He moved his hand from my forehead and placed it against my arm, slowly rubbing it up and down. I shook my head vehemently.

"That's okay." I squeaked, retreating towards the door and laying my hand on the door. "I'm fine, really." I smiled to reinforce my 'fineness'. Banner sighed loudly and rubbed his cheekbone, the one that was not covered by a deep purple bruise.

"I fell down the stairs." Banner said I turned back to face him.

"What?" I asked confused.

"My face. That's what happened to it." H smiled at me, a smile that made nervous. Why did he feel the need to explain.

"Mmn. Okay. I hope it doesn't hurt too bad."

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update, school's a bitch. Let me know what you think of this chapter. I think there will be three more chapter left and an epilogue. Review.**

**On another note, I have recently been thinking about starting a podcast. It would be about books in general, a sort of weekly book club thing. Send me a pm if you're interested and I can forward you my email and we can talk. I am open to suggestions on all aspects of the show!!!**

**Jennifer XD**


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